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SENATE RULES
FOR THE
FIFTY-THIRD OKLAHOMA LEGISLATURE (2011-2012)
BEING THE STANDING RULES FOR
CONDUCTING BUSINESS OF
THE STATE SENATE OF OKLAHOMA,
FIFTY-THIRD OKLAHOMA LEGISLATURE (2011-2012)
CODE OF CONDUCT AND STANDARDS
CHAPTER 1
APPLICATION, PURPOSE, INTERPRETATION
AND AMENDMENT OF THE RULES
RULE 1-1. AUTHORITY AND APPLICATION. The Oklahoma State Senate hereby
adopts these rules pursuant to the authority of Section 30 of Article V of the Oklahoma
Constitution. Upon adoption by a majority of the members of the Senate unless and until
amended, the following rules shall be the rules for the conduct of business by the Senate.
RULE 1-2. PURPOSE. The purpose of the rules is to provide the members of the Senate
with uniform, easily understood procedures for the conduct of business.
RULE 1-3. INTERPRETATION. When the Senate is in daily session, interpretation of
the rules shall be made by the President Pro Tempore or by an elected member of the Senate
designated by the President Pro Tempore as Presiding Officer pursuant to Senate Rule 2-4;
when a committee is meeting, interpretation of the rules shall be made by the committee
chair, or in the chair's absence the vice-chair, of the committee; and at all other times
interpretation of the rules shall be made by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate. Such
interpretations shall be final unless an appeal of a ruling is made successfully in the
following manner:
A. Before other business is transacted by the Senate or by the committee, a member
of the Senate or the committee may appeal the ruling by offering a substitute ruling.
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B. Once a motion to adopt a substitute ruling is made, no other business shall be
transacted until the motion is disposed of by the Senate or by the committee.
C. A motion to adopt a substitute ruling shall be subject to all other Senate Rules
pertaining to motions.
RULE 1-4. AMENDMENT. Any Senate Rule may be amended upon two-thirds vote of
the members of the Senate.
RULE 1-5. SUSPENSION. Except as provided in subsection F of Rule 12-21, any Senate
Rule may be suspended upon two-thirds vote of the members of the Senate.
CHAPTER 2
SENATE OFFICERS
RULE 2-1. OFFICERS. Officers of the Senate shall be:
The President, who shall be the Lieutenant Governor of the State of Oklahoma;
The President Pro Tempore, who shall be the Presiding Officer of the Senate;
Such other officers as may be designated by the Majority and Minority caucuses; provided,
the Majority Floor Leader shall serve as acting President Pro Tempore in the event that the
President Pro Tempore vacates the office on a temporary basis. If the President Pro
Tempore shall vacate the office on a permanent basis, the Majority Floor Leader shall serve
as acting President Pro Tempore until such time as the Senate shall elect a new President Pro
Tempore; and
The Secretary.
RULE 2-2. ELECTION. The President Pro Tempore shall be elected by a majority of the
members of the Senate when the Senate convenes on the first Tuesday after the first Monday
in January of each odd-numbered year. The Secretary of the Senate, who shall not be a
member of the Senate, shall be elected by a majority of the members following election of
the President Pro Tempore and announcement of the other officers.
RULE 2-3. TERMS. The terms of all member officers of the Senate shall begin on the
first Tuesday after the first Monday in January of each odd-numbered year and shall be for
two years; provided, however, that the designee of the Majority Caucus for the office of
President Pro Tempore and the designee of the Minority Caucus for Minority Floor Leader
shall assume the duties of and have the full authority of their respective offices on the
fifteenth day following the General Election.
RULE 2-4. DUTIES OF THE PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE.
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A. The President Pro Tempore shall be the chief executive officer of the Senate and
shall prescribe all policies not otherwise provided by law or by the rules.
The President Pro Tempore shall serve as Presiding Officer of the Senate during its
daily sessions but may designate another member of the Senate to serve as Presiding Officer
at such times as the President Pro Tempore deems appropriate. Wherever the title
“Presiding Officer” appears in the rules it shall mean the President Pro Tempore or an
elected member of the Senate designated by the President Pro Tempore as Presiding Officer.
B. The President Pro Tempore may refer any matter concerning exercise of the
Senate's discretionary powers and duties under Section 30 of Article V of the Oklahoma
Constitution to a standing committee or select committee as the President Pro Tempore
deems appropriate.
C. The President Pro Tempore shall determine the duties to be performed for the
Senate by the Secretary of the Senate and shall designate a Chief of Staff to be responsible
for staff duties not assigned to the Secretary of the Senate. The President Pro Tempore or a
designee shall be responsible for the issuance of all warrants and vouchers and the
maintenance of an accurate account of expenditures by the Senate.
CHAPTER 3
STAFF
RULE 3-1. EXECUTIVE ASSISTANTS. Each member of the Senate shall be entitled to
designate an executive assistant. Executive assistants shall serve at the discretion of, and
perform such duties as prescribed by, the individual member of the Senate for whom
employed, subject to such policies as may be established by the President Pro Tempore.
RULE 3-2. LEADERSHIP STAFF. The President Pro Tempore shall be entitled to
employ a leadership staff. Leadership staff shall serve at the discretion of, for such
compensation pursuant to law as may be determined by, and perform such duties as
prescribed by, the President Pro Tempore.
RULE 3-3. SERVICE STAFF. The Chief of Staff, subject to the review and supervision
of the President Pro Tempore, shall be authorized to employ service staff. Service staff shall
be employed according to policies established by the President Pro Tempore and shall
receive such compensation pursuant to law as may be determined by, and perform such
duties as prescribed by, the President Pro Tempore.
CHAPTER 4
RECORDS, AUDITS AND PROPERTY
RULE 4-1. OPEN RECORDS. All official records of the proceedings of the Senate and
its committees shall be open for public inspection during regular office hours.
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RULE 4-2. MANDATORY AUDIT. The President Pro Tempore shall cause an audit of
the Senate's expenditures to be made at least once each fiscal year.
RULE 4-3. PHYSICAL PROPERTY. The President Pro Tempore shall be responsible
for the physical property of the Senate and for that portion of the Capitol assigned to the
Senate. The Chief of Staff, under direction of the President Pro Tempore, shall be authorized
to perform routine repairs, maintenance and upkeep on such property and facilities.
RULE 4-4. SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT. The use of Senate supplies and equipment,
including Senate postage meters, is restricted to official Senate business. Questions of
compliance shall be resolved by the President Pro Tempore or, at the discretion of the
President Pro Tempore, the Rules Committee.
CHAPTER 5
LEGISLATION
RULE 5-1. LEGISLATION. Legislation to be considered by the Senate shall be limited
to Senate Bills, Senate Joint Resolutions, Senate Concurrent Resolutions, Senate
Resolutions, House Bills, House Joint Resolutions and House Concurrent Resolutions.
RULE 5-2. INTRODUCTION. Except as may be limited by Senate Rule 16-1, Senate
Bills, Senate Joint Resolutions, Senate Concurrent Resolutions and Senate Resolutions may
be introduced at any time beginning on the fifteenth day of November of each even-numbered
year and ending at the time of sine die adjournment of the Second Session during
the following even-numbered year. Legislation may be introduced by presentation to the
Secretary of the Senate, together with as many copies as may be prescribed by the Secretary
of the Senate. Each Senate Bill or Resolution shall be assigned a number by the Secretary of
the Senate. House Bills, House Joint Resolutions and House Concurrent Resolutions may be
introduced upon receipt of a message from the House of Representatives advising passage
and engrossment of the measure.
RULE 5-3. FORM. No legislation shall be introduced in the Senate, except for House
Bills, House Joint Resolutions and House Concurrent Resolutions, unless that legislation
shall include a Title and an Enacting or Resolving Clause.
RULE 5-4. RESTRICTIONS. For consideration by the Senate, Senate Concurrent
Resolutions, Senate Resolutions and House Concurrent Resolutions shall be limited to the
following purposes:
A. Memorializing Congress, the President of the United States, or an executive
agency of the federal government;
B. Communicating with another entity of state government, or a subdivision thereof;
C. Disapproving an administrative rule;
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D. Expressing legislative intent;
E. Expressing policies of the Senate; and
F. Such other purposes specifically approved by the President Pro Tempore.
RULE 5-5. AUTHORS AND COAUTHORS. After introduction in the Senate of any bill
or resolution, no Senator or Representative shall be shown or removed as author or coauthor
on the face of the bill or resolution unless the Senator or Representative shall submit a
written or electronic request to be so shown to the Secretary of the Senate or person
designated by the Secretary of the Senate. The change in authorship shall be shown on the
face of the next official version of the bill or resolution; provided, however, a printed
substitute for or an electronic version of a bill or resolution may be shown in parentheses,
and the electronic voting machine may display immediately, any author or coauthor changes
that have been submitted.
While a Senate Bill, Senate Joint Resolution or Senate Concurrent Resolution is
within the physical control of the Senate, the principal Senate author of the bill or resolution
shall have full and complete discretion in determining who the principal House author of the
bill or resolution shall be.
RULE 5-6. DISTRIBUTION OF LEGISLATION.
A. No legislation or amendment shall be considered by the Senate unless a copy has
been distributed to the desks of all members of the Senate, or has been made available to all
members electronically, on a legislative day previous to consideration of the legislation.
B. Except as otherwise provided in this rule, no conference committee substitute
shall be considered by the full Senate unless copies of such conference committee substitute
shall have either:
1. Been distributed to the desks of all members of the Senate; or
2. Been made available to all members electronically and the members are notified
of such electronic availability;
and such distribution and notification of electronic availability occurs prior to the
adjournment of the Senate on a legislative day previous to consideration of the measure. An
announcement on the Senate floor, while the Senate is in session, of electronic availability
shall constitute sufficient notification.
C. Subsection B of this rule shall not be applicable to
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1. Appropriation bills, or
2. Any measure which is exempt from Senate Rule 16-1.
D. For purposes of this rule, an “appropriation bill” shall mean a measure which has
been recommended by the General Conference Committee on Appropriations or which
affects the receipt, expenditure or budgeting of state funds or funds under the control of an
entity created by state law.
RULE 5-7. FINAL ACTION. If final action is such as to defeat an amendment, a bill or a
resolution, no other amendment, bill or resolution having the same effect and covering the
same specific or substantially similar subject matter shall be considered by the Senate during
either session of the current Legislature, unless otherwise approved by the President Pro
Tempore. Action constituting “final action” includes:
1. Failure of the motion “Do Pass” or “Do Pass as Amended” on a vote in a committee,
2. If a vote is taken on Third Reading or Fourth Reading and the measure fails to receive
the required number of votes for passage, and
a. no notice is served to reconsider the vote,
b. a motion to reconsider the vote fails to prevail or expires, or
c. a motion to table the motion to reconsider prevails, or
3. In the case of an amendment, if the amendment fails to receive the required number
of votes for adoption or if a motion to table prevails.
RULE 5-8. FINANCIAL IMPACT VERIFICATION. A. No amendment, bill or
resolution which creates or expands a requirement for insurance coverage provided to state
employees by a state agency shall be considered by the Senate or any committee thereof
unless such amendment, bill or resolution is accompanied by documentation of the fiscal
impact of the proposal on the policyholders and the state agency. The President Pro
Tempore shall prescribe procedures for such documentation to be obtained from the
Oklahoma State and Education Employees Group Insurance Board or the Oklahoma Health
Care Authority, as applicable.
The chair of a committee to which a bill or resolution subject to the provisions of this
subsection is assigned may request the Majority Floor Leader to suspend the provisions of
paragraph 4 or 6 of subsection A or paragraph 4 or 6 of subsection B of Rule 16-1; provided,
any such suspension shall not suspend or affect any of the remaining dates set forth in Rule
16-1.
B. No amendment, bill or resolution which creates a direct fiscal impact on state tax
revenues shall be considered by the Senate or any committee thereof unless such
amendment, bill or resolution is accompanied by documentation of the fiscal impact of such
amendment, bill or resolution. The President Pro Tempore shall prescribe procedures for
such documentation to be obtained from the Oklahoma Tax Commission pursuant to the
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provisions of Section 118 of Title 68 of the Oklahoma Statutes, or from another source as
designated by the President Pro Tempore.
CHAPTER 6
PROPOSALS
RULE 6-1. PROPOSALS. Any member of the Senate may submit in writing to the
President Pro Tempore a proposal for study or consideration by the Senate, subject to such
deadlines for interim studies as may be established by the President Pro Tempore.
CHAPTER 7
COMMITTEES
RULE 7-1. TYPES AND NUMBER. There shall be two types of Senate committees
established by the President Pro Tempore, to-wit: standing committees and select
committees. The President Pro Tempore shall appoint the chair and vice-chair of each
standing committee and of each select committee.
The President Pro Tempore may establish, and appoint the members of, as many ad
hoc subcommittees of each standing committee as the President Pro Tempore deems
appropriate. There shall be as many select committees as are created by the President Pro
Tempore.
RULE 7-2. MEMBERSHIP. Membership on standing committees and on select
committees shall be subject to the following:
A. The President Pro Tempore shall appoint, subject to the approval of the Senate,
the Majority Caucus members and the chair and vice-chair of each standing committee.
B. The Minority Floor Leader shall appoint, subject to the approval of the Senate,
the Minority Caucus members of each standing committee, other than a Minority Caucus
member who is appointed as a chair or vice-chair of a committee by the President Pro
Tempore.
C. Membership of standing committees shall be approved by a majority vote of
members of the Senate. In the event of a vacancy or extended absence of a member of the
Senate, a replacement member may be appointed by the President Pro Tempore or the
Minority Floor Leader, as appropriate. Any such appointment shall be approved by a
majority vote of members of the Senate.
D. The President Pro Tempore shall appoint all members of select committees.
E. The President Pro Tempore and Majority Floor Leader shall each be ex officio
and voting members of all standing and select Senate committees.
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RULE 7-3. DUTIES OF THE RULES COMMITTEE. The Rules Committee shall
determine any policies of the Senate submitted to it by the President Pro Tempore.
RULE 7-4. DUTIES OF LEGISLATION COMMITTEES. Each legislative committee
shall be responsible for the formulation of legislative programs and determination of
nonlegislative matters within the jurisdiction prescribed by the President Pro Tempore; shall
inquire into the administration and execution of all laws within the same jurisdiction; shall
consider such proposals as may be submitted to the committee by the President Pro
Tempore; and shall be responsible for the continuing codification of all laws within the
prescribed jurisdiction.
RULE 7-5. DUTIES OF SELECT COMMITTEES. Select committees shall be
responsible for such duties as are prescribed at the time of their formation. No select
committee shall be formed without its duties being expressly stated at the time of its
formation. If a select committee is appointed for the purpose of conducting an investigation,
the Senator requesting the investigation shall not serve as chair of the committee.
RULE 7-6. AUTHORITY OF COMMITTEES. Any Senate committee is authorized to
issue process, compel attendance of witnesses, and to administer oaths to any person
appearing before the committee. Any Senate committee which considers legislation is
empowered to consolidate bills or resolutions, to develop committee substitutes for such
bills or resolutions, to amend such bills or resolutions and to develop a committee bill or
resolution irrespective of any other legislation.
RULE 7-7. PROCEDURES. The following procedures shall be observed by all legislation
committees of the Senate:
A. Subject to such exceptions as are provided hereinafter, committees of the Senate
shall comply with provisions of the Oklahoma Open Meeting Act. A copy of all notices
required by said Act shall be provided to the Chief of Staff, who shall designate the
appropriate place for such notices to be posted. The Chief of Staff shall cause to be posted
one such notice on the bulletin board of the Senate located in a place in the Capitol
accessible to the public and on the Senate web site and shall take such other actions as may
be deemed appropriate to provide adequate notice to the public.
B. The chair of a committee shall schedule meetings of the committee. Meetings at
a time other than the regularly scheduled meeting time of a committee shall not conflict with
any regularly scheduled meeting of any other committee, except with the consent of the
President Pro Tempore.
C. The agenda for any meeting of a committee shall be set by the chair and shall
include the date, time and place of the meeting. A copy of the agenda shall be provided to
members of the committee and to authors of legislation to be considered by the committee at
least twenty-four (24) hours prior to the meeting unless otherwise approved by the President
Pro Tempore. An agenda for a meeting scheduled to meet prior to or during the first three
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days of session may reflect a measure for which assignment to the committee is anticipated,
and the committee may act upon the measure; provided, the report of the committee's action
on any such measure shall not be filed prior to the assignment of the measure; further
provided, if the measure is not assigned to the committee during the first three days of
session, any committee action on the measure taken prior to or during those days shall be of
no force or effect and shall not be reported.
D. A quorum shall be present when any committee votes on any matter. Any
member of a committee may request a quorum call at any time the committee is meeting. A
number equal to a majority of the appointed members of the committee shall constitute a
quorum.
E. The chair, or in the chair's absence the vice-chair, of the committee, or a
designee, shall preside at meetings of the committee.
F. When considering legislation or conducting other business, committees shall
observe the following procedures:
1. No person shall address the committee unless first recognized by the chair for that
purpose.
2. When a legislative measure is taken up for consideration, the Senate author shall
be recognized for explanation of the measure.
3. The Senate author shall be given the opportunity to answer questions put by
members of the committee or other persons recognized by the chair.
4. The chair shall provide opportunity for presentation of amendments to the
legislation by the Senate author or by any member of the committee. Any amendment must
be seconded to receive further consideration. Provided, the Senate author or any member of
the committee offering a committee substitute must submit the proposed committee
substitute in writing or electronically to the chair no later than noon on the legislative day
before the meeting of the committee. The chair may, at his or her discretion, waive the
deadline set forth in this rule. When a committee substitute is submitted, the chair may
approve the substitute to be heard by the committee and the committee substitute shall be
considered a public record from the time of such approval.
5. Amendments and motions may be adopted by a voice vote; provided, however,
that the Senate author, or any member of the committee, may require a roll call vote.
6. Amendments shall be considered in the order they appear in the legislation, or in
the order they are presented to the clerk of the committee; provided, an amendment to
restore the title or enacting clause shall be considered after disposition of all other
amendments. The chair shall resolve any conflict resulting from claimed priority of
presentation.
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7. The author of an amendment shall explain the amendment and be afforded the
opportunity to answer questions about the amendment put by members of the committee, the
author of the legislation, or other persons recognized by the chair.
8. The chair may recognize any person for debate or comment on the proposed
legislation or amendments thereto. The chair may limit the amount of time for any such
debate or comment.
9. The vote on a recommendation by the committee to the Senate concerning a
legislative measure shall be by recorded roll call and shall require a majority vote of a
quorum of the members of the committee for passage. The only permitted recommendations
to the Senate on a legislative measure are “DO PASS” or “DO PASS, AS AMENDED”. A
tie vote in a committee on the motion of “DO PASS” or “DO PASS, AS AMENDED” shall
result in failure of the motion. All committee votes reflecting the votes of each member
present and voting on the motion of “DO PASS” or “DO PASS, AS AMENDED” shall be
entered in the Journal.
G. Except for legislation containing appropriations, all legislation originating in the
Senate which is recommended by a committee to the Senate shall contain an Enacting or
Resolving Clause and both a Senate and a House author.
H. The chair may assign to any subcommittee any legislation, proposal or inquiry;
provided, however, no subcommittee shall be permitted to report directly to the Senate, but
rather shall report to the parent committee.
I. No person shall cause materials to be distributed at any committee meeting
without first having obtained approval of the chair. The person causing the materials to be
distributed shall be identified in writing on the face of such materials. Any document or
other material distributed to all members of a committee of the Senate during a meeting
which is open to the public shall be considered a public record from the time of such
distribution.
J. 1. An amendment affecting a retirement system, as such term is defined in the
Oklahoma Pension Legislation Actuarial Analysis Act, to a bill or resolution which has not
been submitted to the legislative actuary as provided in the Act, shall be deemed to be out of
order. If such a committee amendment is deemed to be out of order after its adoption, the
committee or the full Senate may amend the bill or resolution to its form prior to the
amendment. If such amendment is not made, the bill or resolution shall be returned to the
committee from which it was reported.
2. An amendment which creates or expands a requirement for insurance coverage
provided to state employees by a state agency which is not accompanied by written
documentation of the fiscal impact thereof as required in subsection A of Rule 5-8, shall be
deemed to be out of order. If such a committee amendment is deemed to be out of order
after its adoption, the committee or the full Senate may amend the bill or resolution to its
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form prior to the amendment. If such amendment is not made, the bill or resolution shall be
returned to the committee from which it was reported.
3. An amendment which creates a direct fiscal impact on state tax revenues which is
not accompanied by written documentation of the fiscal impact thereof as required in
subsection B of Rule 5-8, shall be deemed to be out of order. If such a committee
amendment is deemed to be out of order after its adoption, the committee or the full Senate
may amend the bill or resolution to its form prior to the amendment. If such amendment is
not made, the bill or resolution shall be returned to the committee from which it was
reported.
CHAPTER 8
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
RULE 8-1. COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE. Without prior notice, the Senate may, by
motion approved by a majority of the members of the Senate, declare itself a Committee of
the Whole, at which time the President Pro Tempore or a member designated by the
President Pro Tempore shall chair the Committee of the Whole. Rules applicable to other
Senate committees shall be applied to the Committee of the Whole, except those rules
relating to notice.
RULE 8-2. REPORTS. Once the Committee of the Whole has reported a bill or resolution
“DO PASS“ or “DO PASS, AS AMENDED“, to the Senate, that bill or resolution shall be
considered on Third Reading and shall be voted upon without consideration of amendments
or debate.
CHAPTER 9
EXECUTIVE NOMINATIONS
RULE 9-1. REFERRAL OF EXECUTIVE NOMINATIONS. When Executive
Nominations shall be made by the Governor or other appointing authority to the Senate, said
nominations shall be referred for consideration to the standing committee which has in its
jurisdiction the entity to which the nomination relates.
RULE 9-2. REJECTION. No person whose nomination has been rejected by the Senate
shall be eligible to be later confirmed by the Senate during the same session for appointment
to the same position. If an executive nomination is not approved during the regular session
in which it is submitted, it shall be deemed rejected. If an interim executive nomination is
not approved during the first regular session following its submission it shall be deemed
rejected. The President Pro Tempore shall notify the appointing authority of the rejection
of an executive nomination by the Senate, and shall likewise notify the chief executive of
the entity to which the nomination relates.
CHAPTER 10
PROCEDURES FOR DAILY SESSIONS
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RULE 10-1. TIME AND PLACE OF DAILY SESSIONS.
A. On the first Tuesday following the first Monday in January of each odd
numbered year, the Senate shall convene in its chamber on the fourth floor of the Capitol at
twelve o'clock noon for the purposes only of performing the duties as required by Section 5
of Article VI of the Constitution and organizing pursuant to the provisions of Article V of
the Constitution and shall recess not later than five o'clock p.m. of that same day until the
following first Monday in February of the same year, beginning at twelve o'clock noon.
B. On the first Monday in February of each year, the Senate shall convene in its
chamber on the fourth floor of the Capitol at twelve o'clock noon. Thereafter, the Senate
shall meet in daily sessions as necessary in the chamber until sine die adjournment. The
time of each daily session shall be announced on the preceding legislative day; provided,
however, that in the event no such announcement is made, the Senate shall convene at 1:30
p.m.
C. The Senate may convene in a location other than its chamber in the event that the
President Pro Tempore determines that a natural disaster or national security emergency
prevents the Senate from meeting in its chamber.
RULE 10-2. GALLERIES AND HALLWAYS. The President Pro Tempore or a
designee is empowered to assign seats in the galleries of the Senate and is empowered to
order the galleries and hallways of the Senate cleared to preserve order or to ensure the
safety of the members of the Senate. Firearms and weapons are not allowed on the Senate
floor, in the gallery, or in the Senate area without permission of the Chief of Staff. Conduct
in the galleries of the Senate shall conform to the following:
1. No food, drink, signs, placards, noisemakers, flash cameras or any other item
which might cause distraction or disturb the decorum of the Senate shall be allowed in the
galleries;
2. Applause shall not be permitted;
3. Articles carried by visitors may be required to be checked at the door to the
galleries by a Senate employee; and
4. Visitors in the galleries shall be required to conduct themselves with dignity
and in an orderly fashion.
RULE 10-3. ATTENDANCE. No business of the Senate shall be conducted without a
quorum of its members being in attendance, other than a motion to adjourn, adjourn to a
time certain, or operate under call of the Senate pursuant to Rule 10-5, made by the
President Pro Tempore or a member designated by the President Pro Tempore. A majority
of the members elected to the Senate shall constitute a quorum. A member of the Senate
who is absent from a daily session shall be shown as "excused."
RULE 10-4. QUORUM CALL. Any member of the Senate may, at any time, request the
Presiding Officer to question the presence of a quorum. Upon such request, the Presiding
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Officer shall determine whether a quorum is present, and no further business shall be
conducted until it is determined that a quorum is present.
RULE 10-5. CALL OF THE SENATE. The Senate may, by majority vote of the
members present, operate under Call of the Senate, in which case the President Pro Tempore
is empowered to compel the attendance of all members of the Senate and is empowered to
confine the members of the Senate to the chamber.
RULE 10-6. DECORUM. The decorum of members of the Senate and employees of the
Senate during the daily sessions of the Senate shall be determined by the Code of Conduct
and Standards for Members of the Senate and Staff and shall be enforced by the Presiding
Officer.
RULE 10-7. PERSONAL PRIVILEGE. Personal privilege shall be granted to a member
of the Senate only to permit such member to respond to a public attack on the rights,
integrity or reputation of a member of the Senate, or upon the Senate collectively or any
committee or employee of the Senate. Remarks made by a member of the Senate who is
granted personal privilege shall be confined to such a response.
RULE 10-8. INTRODUCTIONS. No persons shall be introduced individually in the
galleries, except that a member of the Senate may introduce family members. It shall also
be permissible to introduce officials from other states and countries or other persons
approved in advance by the Majority Floor Leader.
RULE 10-9. PRIVILEGES OF THE FLOOR. No person shall be permitted in the
Senate chamber or the lobbies at the front or rear of the chamber during the daily sessions of
the Senate except members and former members of the Senate, employees of the Senate
designated by the President Pro Tempore, members of the House of Representatives, the
Governor and Lieutenant Governor, former Governors and former Lieutenant Governors,
spouses, children and grandchildren of members of the Senate, and any person who is
permitted on the floor by a majority vote of those present; provided, however, that the above
privileges shall exclude any person registered as a lobbyist under the statutes of Oklahoma.
All persons permitted in the Senate chamber during the daily sessions of the Senate shall
conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions of the Code of Conduct for Members
of the Senate and Staff. No person other than those specified in this rule shall be permitted
in the Senate Lounge, unless accompanied by a member of the Senate.
RULE 10-10. SENATE LOUNGE AND ANTEROOMS. The President Pro Tempore
may prescribe policies restricting the use of the Senate lounge and any rooms adjoining the
lounge or the Senate chamber.
CHAPTER 11
ORDER OF BUSINESS FOR DAILY SESSIONS
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RULE 11-1. ORDER OF BUSINESS. The Order of Business for each daily session of the
Senate shall be:
Prayer
Executive Nominations
General Order
Third Reading
House Amendments to Senate Bills and Resolutions
Conference Committee Reports
Fourth Reading
Committee Reports
Second Reading
First Reading
Communications
Other Business
Provided, no business shall be considered by the Senate during the daily session unless it has
been approved by the Majority Floor Leader or the President Pro Tempore or unless it is
otherwise specifically allowed under the Senate rules.
CHAPTER 12
FLOOR PROCEDURES
RULE 12-1. PRESIDING OFFICER'S AUTHORITY. The Presiding Officer shall
maintain order in the Senate. No Senator or other person shall be permitted to address the
Senate without first having been recognized by the Presiding Officer. The Presiding Officer
may require a Senator to disclose the purpose of a request for recognition prior to acting
upon such request. The Presiding Officer shall immediately recognize the Majority Floor
Leader at his or her request notwithstanding the previous request of any other Senator, but
otherwise may exercise discretion in granting recognition when more than one Senator seeks
recognition.
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RULE 12-2. ORDER OF CONSIDERATION OF LEGISLATION. The Majority Floor
Leader, or a designee, shall determine the order in which legislation is considered by the
Senate.
RULE 12-3. PLACEMENT OF MEASURES ON GENERAL ORDER.
A. All bills and resolutions reported by a committee of the Senate or referred
directly to the calendar shall be placed on General Order.
B. When a committee report is filed, the clerk shall indicate on the face of the report
the date and time the report was filed.
C. A bill or resolution reported from committee shall be placed on General Order at
the beginning of the legislative day following the legislative day that a committee report is
filed. Committee reports shall not be filed later than 4:30 p.m.
D. Bills and resolutions referred directly to the calendar shall be placed on General
Order at the beginning of the legislative day following the day of such referral.
E. A list of bills and resolutions on General Order, including a copy of the text of
such bills and resolutions and the date such bills and resolutions were placed on General
Order, shall be published electronically and a paper copy shall be made available each
legislative day by request to all members of the Senate.
RULE 12-4. AMENDMENTS. A. Amendments to bills or resolutions shall be in writing
and shall be considered only if submitted as follows:
1. Once legislation has been placed on General Order as provided in Rule 12-3, any
floor amendment to such legislation may be filed on the legislative day of such placement or
the following legislative day. An amendment must be filed no later than 4:30 p.m. of a
legislative day to be considered filed on such legislative day;
2. Any amendment which directly amends a previously-submitted floor amendment
shall be filed no later than 4:30 p.m. of the legislative day following the day which is the last
legislative day for filing a floor amendment as provided in paragraph 1 of this rule; and
3. A floor amendment or an amendment to a floor amendment may be withdrawn by
its author at any time before it is voted upon.
B. If any amendment to a bill or resolution is filed as provided in this subsection, a
copy of the text of such amendment shall be provided or made available electronically to
each member of the Senate and the bill or resolution shall not be voted upon until on or after
the legislative day following the legislative day specified for filing an amendment to a floor
amendment as provided in paragraph 2 of this rule.
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C. This rule shall not apply to an amendment offered by the author of a bill or
resolution:
1. To strike the title or enacting or resolving clause; or
2. To make non-substantive changes or technical corrections, subject to the approval
of the Majority Floor Leader.
D. 1. An amendment affecting a retirement system, as such term is defined in the
Oklahoma Pension Legislation Actuarial Analysis Act, to a bill or resolution which has not
been submitted to the legislative actuary as provided in the Act, shall be deemed to be out of
order.
2. An amendment which creates or expands a requirement for insurance coverage
provided to state employees by a state agency which is not accompanied by written
documentation of the fiscal impact thereof as required in subsection A of Rule 5-8, shall be
deemed to be out of order.
3. An amendment which creates a direct fiscal impact on state tax revenues which is
not accompanied by written documentation of the fiscal impact thereof as required in
subsection B of Rule 5-8, shall be deemed to be out of order.
RULE 12-5. CONSIDERATION OF MEASURES ON GENERAL ORDER.
A. On General Order, the following procedure shall be observed:
1. Explanation of the bill or resolution by the Senate author;
2. Questions;
3. Consideration of amendments; and
4. Advancement.
B. Amendments shall be considered in the order in which they are submitted unless
otherwise directed by the Majority Floor Leader; provided, an amendment to restore a title
or enacting or resolving clause shall be considered after disposition of all other amendments.
Once an amendment is read, it shall be explained by its author, who shall then answer
questions concerning the amendment. If the author of the amendment is not in attendance at
the time an amendment is read, the amendment shall be considered withdrawn unless
another member of the Senate has taken or immediately takes coauthorship of the
amendment and provides an explanation. An amendment shall be considered a public record
from the time it is placed upon the clerk’s desk.
C. After the final vote on third reading of any bill or joint resolution, no amendment
to the measure shall be considered, by unanimous consent or otherwise, unless the final vote
and advancement of the measure are properly reconsidered according to the Senate Rules.
Page 17
D. For any bill which has been recommended to the full Senate by a Senate
committee with a stricken title or enacting clause, the title or enacting clause shall not be
restored as part of an amendment proposing a floor substitute, but an amendment to restore
the title or enacting clause may be considered separately.
RULE 12-6. ADVANCEMENT. Once a motion to advance has been adopted, the bill or
resolution shall be considered engrossed and on Third Reading.
RULE 12-7. THIRD READING. Upon Third Reading of a bill or resolution, the Senate
shall not consider amendments, but shall debate passage of the bill or resolution and then
vote upon passage.
RULE 12-8. HOUSE AMENDMENTS. Upon receipt of House amendments to Senate
bills or resolutions, the Senate author shall make a motion either to accept the amendments,
in which case a successful vote on the motion shall automatically advance the bill to Fourth
Reading and final passage, or to reject the amendments and request a conference with the
House.
RULE 12-9. CONFERENCE COMMITTEES. The President Pro Tempore shall appoint
members of the Senate to serve on conference committees with members of the House of
Representatives at such times and in such numbers as the President Pro Tempore deems
appropriate.
RULE 12-10. CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REPORTS.
A. Any Conference Committee Report shall be considered by the Senate only when
a majority of the Senate conferees and a majority of the House conferees have signed the
report and only when the report is limited to matters germane to the bill or resolution.
Provided:
1. An amendment affecting a retirement system as such term is defined in the
Oklahoma Pension Legislation Actuarial Analysis Act to a bill or resolution reported from a
conference committee which has not been submitted to the legislative actuary as provided in
the Act shall be deemed to be out of order and the bill or resolution shall be returned to the
conference committee from which it was reported with instructions to remove the
amendment;
2. An amendment which creates or expands a requirement for insurance coverage
provided to state employees by a state agency to a bill or resolution reported from a
conference committee which is not accompanied by written documentation of the fiscal
impact thereof, as required in subsection A of Rule 5-8, shall be deemed to be out of order
and the bill or resolution shall be returned to the conference committee from which it was
reported with instructions to remove the amendment; and
3. An amendment which creates a direct fiscal impact on state tax revenues to a bill
or resolution reported from a conference committee which is not accompanied by written
documentation of the fiscal impact thereof, as required in subsection B of Rule 5-8, shall be
Page 18
deemed to be out of order and the bill or resolution shall be returned to the conference
committee from which it was reported with instructions to remove the amendment.
If the Senate adopts a Conference Committee Report, the bill or resolution is before
the Senate for Fourth Reading and final passage. If the Senate rejects a Conference
Committee Report or a motion to adopt the report fails, the bill or resolution shall be
returned to the conference committee. Upon a report by the Senate conferees that the
conferees cannot agree, the bill or resolution reverts to its former status of consideration of
House Amendments to Senate bills or resolutions.
B. The committee report proposed by the Senate author of a measure considered by
the General Conference Committee on Appropriations may not be amended during the
committee meeting at which the measure is considered.
RULE 12-11. FOURTH READING. Upon Fourth Reading of a bill or resolution, debate
shall be in order on final passage of the bill or resolution, after which the vote shall occur on
final passage. After final passage of a bill or resolution, it shall be signed by the Presiding
Officer in open session.
RULE 12-12. COMMITTEE REPORTS ON EXECUTIVE NOMINATIONS.
Committee reports on Executive Nominations may be combined by the Majority Floor
Leader for consideration by the Senate. At the request of any member, however, a nominee
shall be separated from the combined report and considered individually by the Senate. A
majority vote of the members of the Senate shall be required for adoption of a combined
report.
RULE 12-13. OTHER COMMITTEE REPORTS. Committee reports on matters other
than legislation or Executive Nominations shall be filed with the Secretary of the Senate and
explained by the chair of the committee making the report, whereupon the Senate may
consider any action called for in the report.
RULE 12-14. FIRST READING. A bill or resolution shall be considered introduced upon
First Reading and shall automatically be advanced to Second Reading.
RULE 12-15. SECOND READING.
A. The Second Reading of a bill or resolution shall occur the next legislative day
following the First Reading. Upon or after Second Reading of a bill or resolution, the same
shall be assigned for committee consideration or assigned directly to the calendar. All bills
carrying appropriations which are referred to any committee other than the Appropriations
Committee shall, immediately upon a report by the committee to which referred, be referred
to the Appropriations Committee. Any bill or resolution which is determined to affect the
receipt, expenditure or budgeting of state funds or funds under the control of an entity
created by state law may be double-assigned to a committee other than the Appropriations
Page 19
Committee or the Finance Committee and then to the Appropriations Committee or Finance
Committee.
B. All “shell bills”, except for appropriation bills as defined in Rule 5-6, and except
for a bill which is exempt from Senate Rule 16-1, shall be assigned to the Rules Committee.
For purposes of this rule a “shell bill” shall mean a measure which does not make a
substantive change in the law.
C. After preparation of a committee substitute which proposes a substantive change
in the law, a shell bill which has been assigned to the Rules Committee may be withdrawn
from the Rules Committee and assigned to another committee. No shell bill, except for
appropriation bills as defined in Rule 5-6, and except for a bill which is exempt from Senate
Rule 16-1, shall be reported out of a committee until it has been amended to include a
substantive change in the law.
RULE 12-16. DEBATE. When a question subject to debate is before the Senate, a motion
to limit the time for debate shall be in order, even if debate already has begun. The motion
shall fix the time limits to be allowed for and against the motion, provided that in no case
shall the total debate allotted to each side be less than one-half hour. If such motion is
successful, the Presiding Officer shall cause the time limits to be enforced and shall divide
the time equally for each side of the question. If the motion is once rejected on a question
being debated, it can only be adopted with the approval of two-thirds of those voting.
RULE 12-17. ADJOURNMENT. A motion to adjourn shall always be in order except
when the motion shall have been the last voted on and no business is transacted thereafter.
RULE 12-18. AFTER ADOPTION OF MOTION TO ADJOURN. Once a motion to
adjourn when the desk is clear has been adopted, no motion shall be considered from the
floor of the Senate, whether by unanimous consent or otherwise.
RULE 12-19. SINE DIE ADJOURNMENT. The date and time of sine die adjournment
of the Senate shall be fixed by motion or resolution; provided, that once the date and time of
such sine die adjournment has arrived, no further business shall be conducted by the Senate,
and the Presiding Officer shall declare the Senate adjourned sine die.
RULE 12-20. WITHDRAWAL FROM COMMITTEE. Any bill or resolution may be
withdrawn from any committee of the Senate upon a two-thirds vote of the members of the
Senate. Any bill or resolution so withdrawn shall be on General Order. The provisions of
this rule shall not prevent a bill or resolution from being reassigned from one committee to
another, from being assigned directly to the calendar, or from being double-assigned as
provided in subsection A of Rule 12-15.
RULE 12-21. RECONSIDERATION. The final vote on Third Reading or Fourth
Reading of any bill or joint resolution or on the emergency clause or special election feature
Page 20
or other special feature of any bill or joint resolution may be reconsidered only if a member
of the Senate serves notice before any other business is considered by the Senate . Once
such notice is served, the following procedures shall be observed:
A. In anticipation of the closing days of a regular session or a deadline for third
reading and final passage of a measure in the Senate, a majority of the members of the
Senate may vote that all motions to reconsider made thereafter shall be disposed of on the
same day such notice is served, or disposed of immediately on the last Friday in May, or an
earlier day set for sine die adjournment pursuant to the provisions of Rule 12-19.
B. Except as heretofore provided, the member serving notice for reconsideration
shall not be permitted to make the motion to reconsider on the day notice is served, but shall
have the exclusive right to make such a motion on the next two succeeding legislative days;
provided, that on the third succeeding legislative day, any member of the Senate shall have
the right to make such a motion. If no such motion is made on the third succeeding
legislative day, then no reconsideration shall be permitted.
C. If the Senate refuses to reconsider or if, upon reconsideration, affirms the first
decision, no further consideration shall be in order.
D. For adoption, a motion to reconsider the final vote on a bill or resolution or on
the emergency clause or special election feature or other special feature must be approved
by a majority of the members of the Senate.
E. A motion to reconsider any other action by the Senate must be made by a Senator
who voted on the prevailing side before any other business is considered by the Senate and
shall be disposed of on the same day it is lodged. The motion to reconsider shall be decided
by a majority of those voting on the question.
F. It shall not be in order for the Senate, by suspension of the Rules or by any other
means, to reconsider in the Second Regular Session of a Legislature the vote by which any
bill or joint resolution was defeated in the First Regular Session.
RULE 12-22. OVERRIDES OF VETOES. When a bill or resolution is returned to the
Senate because of veto by the Governor, a motion to vote to override the veto shall be in
order at any time.
RULE 12-23. CORRECTIONS TO LEGISLATION.
A. The Title of a bill or resolution shall be made to conform to the text, unless the
same has been ordered stricken. A stricken title shall be shown in brackets. The ballot title
of a bill or resolution proposing a state question shall be made to conform to the text. The
Enacting Clause shall be a part of every bill unless the same shall have been ordered
stricken. A stricken Enacting Clause shall be shown by striking through the words of the
Enacting Clause.
Page 21
B. The Senate Service Staff is authorized to correct misspelled words, incorrect
citations, typographical errors, repeated words and other similar errors when engrossing or
enrolling Senate bills or joint resolutions, or Senate amendments to engrossed House bills or
joint resolutions and when preparing committee reports and floor versions of Senate bills or
joint resolutions.
C. When engrossing or enrolling Senate bills or joint resolutions, or Senate
amendments to engrossed House bills or joint resolutions and when preparing committee
reports and floor versions of Senate bills or joint resolutions, the Senate Service Staff is
authorized to:
1. Remove sections from a bill or joint resolution labeled as amendatory sections but
which consist entirely of existing law and contain no amendments to the existing law;
2. Incorporate amendments to sections of law in the bill or joint resolution which are
contained in measures enacted previously during the same legislative session and amending
the same sections of law and repeal such previous versions of the section at issue if, in the
opinion of the General Counsel, or a staff attorney designated by the
Chief of Staff, the incorporation of such amendments and repeal of the previous version
would clearly not conflict with the amendments contained in the measure at issue;
3. Modify sections of such measures which provide for a measure to become
effective on July 1 or a date earlier than ninety days after the date of expected sine die
adjournment to read to reflect an effective date of ninety days after the date of sine die
adjournment, or to delete such sections, if the emergency clause has failed to receive the
required number of votes for passage;
4. Delete sections of such measures which provide for a measure to become
effective on a date prior to such engrossment or enrollment; and
5. Include a designation of the subject of an act as provided in Section 452.9 of Title
74 of the Oklahoma Statutes.
D. The Secretary of the Senate shall, at the direction of the President Pro Tempore
and with the approval of the Senate author, have the authority to correct nonsubstantive
errors in the language of any bill or resolution at the time the same is engrossed or enrolled.
A detailed record of all such corrections shall be maintained by the Secretary and printed in
the Journal.
CHAPTER 13
MOTIONS
RULE 13-1. ORDER OF PRIORITY. Motions shall be considered in the following order
of priority:
A. To adjourn to a time certain.
B. To adjourn.
Page 22
C. Substitute ruling motion.
D. To recess.
E. To operate under Call of the Senate.
F. To limit debate.
G. To advance a measure or adopt a Conference Committee Report.
H. To suspend the rules.
I. To commit to a committee or conference committee without instructions.
J. To commit to a committee or conference committee with instructions.
K. To amend.
RULE 13-2. DEBATE. Debate shall be in order on all motions, except the following:
A. To adjourn to a time certain.
B. To adjourn.
C. To recess.
D. To operate under Call of the Senate.
E. To limit debate.
F. To advance.
G. To commit to a committee without instructions.
H. To table.
I. To suspend the rules.
RULE 13-3. MOTIONS TO TABLE. Motions to table shall be in order for all motions
except the following:
A. To adjourn to a time certain.
B. To adjourn.
Page 23
C. To recess.
D. To operate under Call of the Senate.
E. To limit debate.
F. To advance.
RULE 13-4. PRECEDENCE. Motions to table shall take precedence over the original
motion. If successful, a motion to table shall constitute a final disposition of the original
motion.
RULE 13-5. PRIORITY OF MOTIONS NOT ENUMERATED. Except for those
motions otherwise enumerated by priority, all motions shall have equal priority and shall be
considered in the order made, or in the order placed on the clerk's desk.
RULE 13-6. WRITTEN MOTIONS OR OTHER ITEMS OF BUSINESS. The
Presiding Officer may require any motion, point of order, substitute ruling, or other item of
business to be in writing and placed upon the clerk's desk.
RULE 13-7. SUBSTITUTE MOTIONS. Only one substitute motion for a motion of equal
priority shall be considered. If the substitute motion fails, the original motion shall be
disposed of before another motion of the same priority can be considered.
RULE 13-8. VOTE REQUIRED. Unless otherwise provided, a motion shall be declared
adopted if it is approved by a majority of the members present and voting thereon.
CHAPTER 14
VOTING
RULE 14-1. MANNER OF VOTING. All votes of the Senate shall be by voice vote,
division or roll call vote subject to the following:
A. The voting machine shall be used to record the vote whenever a roll call vote is
taken on any question. The machine shall also be used to determine the presence or absence
of a quorum. In the event the machine is not operating properly, all roll call votes and
determinations of quorums may be taken by calling the roll. The voting machine shall be
under the control of the Presiding Officer and shall be operated by a clerk designated by the
Presiding Officer.
B. During any roll call, every Senator present shall vote. During a roll call, the
Presiding Officer shall request every Senator in the chamber who has not voted to vote. If
any Senator so requested fails to vote, the Presiding Officer shall, upon declaring the roll,
order that said Senator be shown as voting "NO" on the question. Said order shall be printed
in the Journal directly following the printing of the results of the roll call as reflected by the
Page 24
voting machine, and said "NO" vote shall be included in the determination of the passage or
failure of the question. In all other cases, a Senator who fails to vote shall be shown as
"excused" in the Journal.
C. On any question for which a roll call vote is not required, a roll call vote shall be
in order only if requested before the question is put. Once the question has been put and a
voice vote taken, the Presiding Officer shall state the side that appears to the Presiding
Officer to have prevailed, and any member then may request a division, but shall not be
entitled to request a roll call vote. The declaration of the vote by the Presiding Officer shall
be final.
D. No Senator shall be permitted to vote or change a vote after the result has been
announced by the Presiding Officer.
E. If a member's voting machine is inoperative, the member shall rise and advise the
Presiding Officer of the malfunction; and the Senator will be permitted to verbally vote on
the question; and the vote will then be recorded by the clerk.
F. When a division is called for, those voting in the affirmative shall rise at their
seats and remain standing until counted; then those voting in the negative shall rise and
stand until they are counted, whereupon the Presiding Officer shall declare the result.
CHAPTER 15
LOBBYISTS AND MEDIA REPRESENTATIVES
RULE 15-1. LOBBYISTS. All lobbying activities in the Senate shall be governed and
regulated by law and by the Rules of the Senate.
RULE 15-2. MEDIA REPRESENTATIVES. The Chief of Staff, at the direction of the
President Pro Tempore, may issue credentials to representatives of the news media and may
limit access to the Press Gallery to those members of the news media holding such
credentials.
CHAPTER 16
RULE 16-1. SENATE LEGISLATIVE PROCEDURE SCHEDULE.
A. During the First Regular Session of the 53rd Oklahoma Legislature, the Senate
shall adhere to the following legislative procedure schedule:
1. The First Regular Session of the 53rd Oklahoma Legislature shall convene at twelve
noon on January 4, 2011, for the purpose only of performing the duties set forth in Section 5 of
Article VI of the Constitution and organizing pursuant to the provisions of Article V of the
Constitution, and shall recess no later than five p.m. on that same day until February 7, 2011,
beginning at twelve noon.
Page 25
2. December 10, 2010, shall be the final date for requesting the drafting of bills or
joint resolutions in the Senate for introduction for consideration during the First Regular
Session.
3. January 20, 2011, at 4:00 p.m., shall be the final date and time for introduction of
bills and joint resolutions in the Senate for consideration on the floor of the Senate during
the First Regular Session. Bills and joint resolutions subsequently introduced if reported
from committee, shall not be placed on the Calendar for consideration in the Senate until the
first legislative day of the Second Regular Session.
4. February 28, 2011, shall be the final legislative day for reporting Senate bills and
Senate joint resolutions from committee in the Senate; provided, for Senate bills and Senate
joint resolutions double-assigned to a committee other than the Appropriations Committee
or Finance Committee and then to the Appropriations Committee or Finance Committee,
February 21, 2011, shall be the final legislative day for reporting such bills and resolutions
from the first committee to which assigned and March 3, 2011, shall be the final legislative
day for reporting such bills and resolutions from the Appropriations Committee or Finance
Committee. Committee Reports must be properly filed in the Senate within one (1)
legislative day after the dates specified in this paragraph, no later than 4:30 p.m., in order for
the bill or joint resolution to be placed on the calendar for consideration in the Senate during
the First Regular Session. Bills and joint resolutions subsequently reported from committee
shall not be placed on the Calendar for consideration in the Senate until the first legislative
day of the Second Regular Session.
5. March 17, 2011, shall be the final legislative day for third reading and final
passage of a Senate bill or Senate joint resolution in the Senate.
6. April 7, 2011, shall be the final legislative day for reporting House bills and
House joint resolutions from Committee in the Senate; provided, for House bills and House
joint resolutions double-assigned to a committee other than the Appropriations Committee
or Finance Committee and then to the Appropriations Committee or Finance Committee,
March 31, 2011, shall be the final legislative day for reporting such bills and resolutions
from the first committee to which assigned and April 14, 2011, shall be the final legislative
day for reporting such bills and resolutions from the Appropriations Committee or Finance
Committee. Committee Reports must be properly filed in the Senate within one (1)
legislative day after the dates specified in this paragraph, no later than 4:30 p.m., in order for
the bill or joint resolution to be placed on the calendar for consideration in the Senate during
the First Regular Session. Bills and joint resolutions subsequently reported from Committee
shall not be placed on the Calendar for consideration in the Senate until the first legislative
day of the Second Regular Session.
7. April 28, 2011, shall be the final legislative day for third reading and final
passage of a House bill or a House joint resolution in the Senate.
Page 26
8. The First Regular Session shall adjourn sine die not later than five p.m. on May
27, 2011.
9. Upon a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the membership of the Senate, a bill or joint
resolution can be exempt from all cutoff dates in the Senate.
B. During the Second Regular Session of the 53rd Oklahoma Legislature, the Senate
shall adhere to the following legislative procedure schedule:
1. December 9, 2011, shall be the final date for requesting the drafting of bills or
joint resolutions in the Senate for introduction for consideration during the Second Regular
Session.
2. January 19, 2012 at 4:00 p.m., shall be the final date and time for introduction of
bills and joint resolutions in the Senate for consideration on the floor of the Senate during
the Second Regular Session.
3. The Second Regular Session of the 53rd Oklahoma Legislature shall convene at
twelve o'clock noon on February 6, 2012.
4. February 27, 2012, shall be the final legislative day for reporting Senate bills and
Senate joint resolutions from Committee in the Senate; provided, for Senate bills and Senate
joint resolutions double-assigned to a committee other than the Appropriations Committee
or Finance Committee and then to the Appropriations Committee or Finance Committee,
February 20, 2012, shall be the final legislative day for reporting such bills and resolutions
from the first committee to which assigned and March 1, 2012, shall be the final legislative
day for reporting such bills and resolutions from the Appropriations Committee or Finance
Committee. Committee Reports must be properly filed in the Senate within one (1)
legislative day after the dates specified in this paragraph, no later than 4:30 p.m., in order for
the bill or joint resolution to be placed on the calendar for consideration in the Senate during
the First Regular Session.
5. March 15, 2012, shall be the final legislative day for third reading and final
passage of a Senate bill or a Senate joint resolution in the Senate.
6. April 5, 2012, shall be the final legislative day for reporting a House bill or a
House joint resolution from Committee in the Senate; provided, for House bills and House
joint resolutions double-assigned to a committee other than the Appropriations Committee
or Finance Committee and then to the Appropriations Committee or Finance Committee,
March 29, 2012, shall be the final legislative day for reporting such bills and resolutions
from the first committee to which assigned and April 12, 2012, shall be the final legislative
day for reporting such bills and resolutions from the Appropriations Committee or Finance
Committee. Committee Reports must be properly filed in the Senate within one (1)
legislative day after the dates specified in this paragraph, no later than 4:30 p.m., in order for
Page 27
the bill or joint resolution to be placed on the calendar for consideration in the Senate during
the First Regular Session.
7. April 26, 2012, shall be the final legislative day for third reading and final
passage of a House bill or a House joint resolution in the Senate.
8. The Second Regular Session shall adjourn sine die not later than five p.m. on May
25, 2012.
9. Upon a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the membership of the Senate, a bill or joint
resolution can be exempt from all cutoff dates in the Senate.
C. This rule shall be inapplicable to any:
1. Joint resolution introduced for the purpose of disapproving or approving agency
rules pursuant to the provisions of the Administrative Procedures Act as set forth in Section
250 et seq. of Title 75 of the Oklahoma Statutes;
2. Bill introduced for the purposes of incorporation and merging different versions
of a statute amended in more than one measure at the same or different sessions of the
Legislature as set forth in Section 23.1 of Title 75 of the Oklahoma Statutes;
3. Bill or joint resolution introduced for the purpose of approving, disapproving,
repealing or modifying rules of the Ethics Commission pursuant to the provisions of Section
3 of Article XXIX of the Oklahoma Constitution;
4. Bill or joint resolution which proposes a special or local law and for which notice
of intended introduction is published in a newspaper for four consecutive weeks pursuant to
the provisions of Section 32 of Article V of the Oklahoma Constitution;
5. Bill or joint resolution authored by the chairs and vice-chairs of the Senate
Appropriations Committee and the House Appropriations and Budget Committee which
affects the receipt, expenditure or budgeting of state funds or funds under the control of an
entity created by state law;
6. Bill or joint resolution authored by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate and
the Speaker of the House of Representatives which is deemed by them to be necessary for
the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; or
7. Bill or joint resolution authored by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate and
the Speaker of the House of Representatives which provides for redistricting pursuant to the
2010 federal census.
Page 28
D. Paragraph 2 of subsection A and paragraph 2 of subsection B of this rule shall be
inapplicable to any bill or joint resolution which contains an “RB” number pursuant to the
provisions of the Oklahoma Pension Legislation Actuarial Analysis Act. Such measures
shall be submitted to the legislative actuary not later than the date specified in such
paragraphs, and may be introduced not later than the first Monday in February following
such submission.
RULE 16-2. PENDING LEGISLATION AT ADJOURNMENT OF FIRST
REGULAR SESSION
A. Any bill or joint resolution pending in the Senate at the final adjournment of the
First Regular Session of the 53rd Oklahoma Legislature shall carry over to the Second
Regular Session with the same status as if there had been no adjournment. Bills and joint
resolutions pending in a Conference Committee at such time shall not carry over to the
Second Regular Session of the 53rd Oklahoma Legislature.
B. Simple and concurrent resolutions pending in the Senate at the final adjournment
of the First Regular Session of the 53rd Oklahoma Legislature shall not carry over for
consideration during the Second Regular Session.
CODE OF CONDUCT AND STANDARDS
FOR MEMBERS OF THE SENATE AND STAFF
1. A coat, tie and slacks or trousers shall be worn by male members and appropriate
attire shall be worn by female members of the Senate and other persons granted privileges of
the floor in the chamber during sessions of the Senate.
2. Each executive assistant is under the authority and supervision of the Senator
designating him or her as such. All other staff members of the Senate are under the authority
and supervision of the Chief of Staff. Complaints pertaining to employees should be made
to the proper authority rather than to the individual. Under no circumstances should
complaints pertaining to employees be made on the floor of the Senate, in committee
meetings or in other public forums.
3. (a) On the floor during session and in committee, members should endeavor to be
congenial and complimentary. Members should avoid personal attacks and dealing in
personalities.
(b) During public occasions away from the Capitol, members should endeavor to
keep personalities out of their discussions and deal with programs, not personalities.
4. The consumption of alcohol is forbidden in the chamber, and any member who is
in the chamber in an intoxicated state will be removed by security personnel.
Page 29
5. It is beneath the dignity of the Senate for members to consume food products in
the chamber.
6. Members of the Senate should continually conduct themselves in accordance with
the standards which will reflect credit upon themselves and the Senate. It is beneath the
dignity of the Senate for a member to sit upon a desk, or to place his or her feet upon a desk
in the chamber.
7. While a Senator is speaking, no Senator should enter into any disturbing private
conversation or pass between the speaking Senator and the Presiding Officer. Profane,
obscene, or indecent language is discouraged in the Senate and in all standing or special
committees of the Senate. The use of cellular telephones, pagers or other audible electronic
devices during formal Senate proceedings, either on the floor of the Senate or in committee,
is discouraged.
8. A Senator shall address other members with the title "Senator" when addressing
one another during formal Senate proceedings either on the floor of the Senate or in
committee.
9. The Presiding Officer may direct a designated Senate employee to activate his or
her roll call switch. No member shall be permitted to vote on any question unless said
member is physically present in the chamber at the time the vote is taken.
10. The President Pro Tempore (or the Majority Floor Leader) shall designate those
Senate employees who shall be granted privileges of the floor during any session of the
Senate, said employees to be limited to those whose work requires their presence. Any
member desiring to bring a guest to the floor of the Senate shall first notify the Majority
Floor Leader. No such guest shall enter the chamber until privileges of the floor have been
granted pursuant to Rule 10-9.
11. No person other than a member of the Senate shall cause materials to be
distributed on each desk in the Senate chamber without first having obtained approval by the
Majority Floor Leader. The sponsoring Senator will be identified. Any material so
distributed shall be considered a public record from the time of such distribution.
12. The President Pro Tempore shall designate persons to act as Sergeants-at-Arms
for the Senate, who shall have responsibility of serving legal processes and enforcing Rules
and policies of the Senate.
13. Any member who feels that the standards of the Senate are being violated by
either a member of the Senate or the staff should seek redress by submitting a complaint to
the President Pro Tempore concerning the violation. The President Pro Tempore may refer
any matter concerning exercise of the Senate's discretionary powers and duties under
Section 30 of Article V of the Oklahoma Constitution to a standing committee or select
committee as the President Pro Tempore deems appropriate.

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SENATE RULES
FOR THE
FIFTY-THIRD OKLAHOMA LEGISLATURE (2011-2012)
BEING THE STANDING RULES FOR
CONDUCTING BUSINESS OF
THE STATE SENATE OF OKLAHOMA,
FIFTY-THIRD OKLAHOMA LEGISLATURE (2011-2012)
CODE OF CONDUCT AND STANDARDS
CHAPTER 1
APPLICATION, PURPOSE, INTERPRETATION
AND AMENDMENT OF THE RULES
RULE 1-1. AUTHORITY AND APPLICATION. The Oklahoma State Senate hereby
adopts these rules pursuant to the authority of Section 30 of Article V of the Oklahoma
Constitution. Upon adoption by a majority of the members of the Senate unless and until
amended, the following rules shall be the rules for the conduct of business by the Senate.
RULE 1-2. PURPOSE. The purpose of the rules is to provide the members of the Senate
with uniform, easily understood procedures for the conduct of business.
RULE 1-3. INTERPRETATION. When the Senate is in daily session, interpretation of
the rules shall be made by the President Pro Tempore or by an elected member of the Senate
designated by the President Pro Tempore as Presiding Officer pursuant to Senate Rule 2-4;
when a committee is meeting, interpretation of the rules shall be made by the committee
chair, or in the chair's absence the vice-chair, of the committee; and at all other times
interpretation of the rules shall be made by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate. Such
interpretations shall be final unless an appeal of a ruling is made successfully in the
following manner:
A. Before other business is transacted by the Senate or by the committee, a member
of the Senate or the committee may appeal the ruling by offering a substitute ruling.
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B. Once a motion to adopt a substitute ruling is made, no other business shall be
transacted until the motion is disposed of by the Senate or by the committee.
C. A motion to adopt a substitute ruling shall be subject to all other Senate Rules
pertaining to motions.
RULE 1-4. AMENDMENT. Any Senate Rule may be amended upon two-thirds vote of
the members of the Senate.
RULE 1-5. SUSPENSION. Except as provided in subsection F of Rule 12-21, any Senate
Rule may be suspended upon two-thirds vote of the members of the Senate.
CHAPTER 2
SENATE OFFICERS
RULE 2-1. OFFICERS. Officers of the Senate shall be:
The President, who shall be the Lieutenant Governor of the State of Oklahoma;
The President Pro Tempore, who shall be the Presiding Officer of the Senate;
Such other officers as may be designated by the Majority and Minority caucuses; provided,
the Majority Floor Leader shall serve as acting President Pro Tempore in the event that the
President Pro Tempore vacates the office on a temporary basis. If the President Pro
Tempore shall vacate the office on a permanent basis, the Majority Floor Leader shall serve
as acting President Pro Tempore until such time as the Senate shall elect a new President Pro
Tempore; and
The Secretary.
RULE 2-2. ELECTION. The President Pro Tempore shall be elected by a majority of the
members of the Senate when the Senate convenes on the first Tuesday after the first Monday
in January of each odd-numbered year. The Secretary of the Senate, who shall not be a
member of the Senate, shall be elected by a majority of the members following election of
the President Pro Tempore and announcement of the other officers.
RULE 2-3. TERMS. The terms of all member officers of the Senate shall begin on the
first Tuesday after the first Monday in January of each odd-numbered year and shall be for
two years; provided, however, that the designee of the Majority Caucus for the office of
President Pro Tempore and the designee of the Minority Caucus for Minority Floor Leader
shall assume the duties of and have the full authority of their respective offices on the
fifteenth day following the General Election.
RULE 2-4. DUTIES OF THE PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE.
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A. The President Pro Tempore shall be the chief executive officer of the Senate and
shall prescribe all policies not otherwise provided by law or by the rules.
The President Pro Tempore shall serve as Presiding Officer of the Senate during its
daily sessions but may designate another member of the Senate to serve as Presiding Officer
at such times as the President Pro Tempore deems appropriate. Wherever the title
“Presiding Officer” appears in the rules it shall mean the President Pro Tempore or an
elected member of the Senate designated by the President Pro Tempore as Presiding Officer.
B. The President Pro Tempore may refer any matter concerning exercise of the
Senate's discretionary powers and duties under Section 30 of Article V of the Oklahoma
Constitution to a standing committee or select committee as the President Pro Tempore
deems appropriate.
C. The President Pro Tempore shall determine the duties to be performed for the
Senate by the Secretary of the Senate and shall designate a Chief of Staff to be responsible
for staff duties not assigned to the Secretary of the Senate. The President Pro Tempore or a
designee shall be responsible for the issuance of all warrants and vouchers and the
maintenance of an accurate account of expenditures by the Senate.
CHAPTER 3
STAFF
RULE 3-1. EXECUTIVE ASSISTANTS. Each member of the Senate shall be entitled to
designate an executive assistant. Executive assistants shall serve at the discretion of, and
perform such duties as prescribed by, the individual member of the Senate for whom
employed, subject to such policies as may be established by the President Pro Tempore.
RULE 3-2. LEADERSHIP STAFF. The President Pro Tempore shall be entitled to
employ a leadership staff. Leadership staff shall serve at the discretion of, for such
compensation pursuant to law as may be determined by, and perform such duties as
prescribed by, the President Pro Tempore.
RULE 3-3. SERVICE STAFF. The Chief of Staff, subject to the review and supervision
of the President Pro Tempore, shall be authorized to employ service staff. Service staff shall
be employed according to policies established by the President Pro Tempore and shall
receive such compensation pursuant to law as may be determined by, and perform such
duties as prescribed by, the President Pro Tempore.
CHAPTER 4
RECORDS, AUDITS AND PROPERTY
RULE 4-1. OPEN RECORDS. All official records of the proceedings of the Senate and
its committees shall be open for public inspection during regular office hours.
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RULE 4-2. MANDATORY AUDIT. The President Pro Tempore shall cause an audit of
the Senate's expenditures to be made at least once each fiscal year.
RULE 4-3. PHYSICAL PROPERTY. The President Pro Tempore shall be responsible
for the physical property of the Senate and for that portion of the Capitol assigned to the
Senate. The Chief of Staff, under direction of the President Pro Tempore, shall be authorized
to perform routine repairs, maintenance and upkeep on such property and facilities.
RULE 4-4. SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT. The use of Senate supplies and equipment,
including Senate postage meters, is restricted to official Senate business. Questions of
compliance shall be resolved by the President Pro Tempore or, at the discretion of the
President Pro Tempore, the Rules Committee.
CHAPTER 5
LEGISLATION
RULE 5-1. LEGISLATION. Legislation to be considered by the Senate shall be limited
to Senate Bills, Senate Joint Resolutions, Senate Concurrent Resolutions, Senate
Resolutions, House Bills, House Joint Resolutions and House Concurrent Resolutions.
RULE 5-2. INTRODUCTION. Except as may be limited by Senate Rule 16-1, Senate
Bills, Senate Joint Resolutions, Senate Concurrent Resolutions and Senate Resolutions may
be introduced at any time beginning on the fifteenth day of November of each even-numbered
year and ending at the time of sine die adjournment of the Second Session during
the following even-numbered year. Legislation may be introduced by presentation to the
Secretary of the Senate, together with as many copies as may be prescribed by the Secretary
of the Senate. Each Senate Bill or Resolution shall be assigned a number by the Secretary of
the Senate. House Bills, House Joint Resolutions and House Concurrent Resolutions may be
introduced upon receipt of a message from the House of Representatives advising passage
and engrossment of the measure.
RULE 5-3. FORM. No legislation shall be introduced in the Senate, except for House
Bills, House Joint Resolutions and House Concurrent Resolutions, unless that legislation
shall include a Title and an Enacting or Resolving Clause.
RULE 5-4. RESTRICTIONS. For consideration by the Senate, Senate Concurrent
Resolutions, Senate Resolutions and House Concurrent Resolutions shall be limited to the
following purposes:
A. Memorializing Congress, the President of the United States, or an executive
agency of the federal government;
B. Communicating with another entity of state government, or a subdivision thereof;
C. Disapproving an administrative rule;
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D. Expressing legislative intent;
E. Expressing policies of the Senate; and
F. Such other purposes specifically approved by the President Pro Tempore.
RULE 5-5. AUTHORS AND COAUTHORS. After introduction in the Senate of any bill
or resolution, no Senator or Representative shall be shown or removed as author or coauthor
on the face of the bill or resolution unless the Senator or Representative shall submit a
written or electronic request to be so shown to the Secretary of the Senate or person
designated by the Secretary of the Senate. The change in authorship shall be shown on the
face of the next official version of the bill or resolution; provided, however, a printed
substitute for or an electronic version of a bill or resolution may be shown in parentheses,
and the electronic voting machine may display immediately, any author or coauthor changes
that have been submitted.
While a Senate Bill, Senate Joint Resolution or Senate Concurrent Resolution is
within the physical control of the Senate, the principal Senate author of the bill or resolution
shall have full and complete discretion in determining who the principal House author of the
bill or resolution shall be.
RULE 5-6. DISTRIBUTION OF LEGISLATION.
A. No legislation or amendment shall be considered by the Senate unless a copy has
been distributed to the desks of all members of the Senate, or has been made available to all
members electronically, on a legislative day previous to consideration of the legislation.
B. Except as otherwise provided in this rule, no conference committee substitute
shall be considered by the full Senate unless copies of such conference committee substitute
shall have either:
1. Been distributed to the desks of all members of the Senate; or
2. Been made available to all members electronically and the members are notified
of such electronic availability;
and such distribution and notification of electronic availability occurs prior to the
adjournment of the Senate on a legislative day previous to consideration of the measure. An
announcement on the Senate floor, while the Senate is in session, of electronic availability
shall constitute sufficient notification.
C. Subsection B of this rule shall not be applicable to
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1. Appropriation bills, or
2. Any measure which is exempt from Senate Rule 16-1.
D. For purposes of this rule, an “appropriation bill” shall mean a measure which has
been recommended by the General Conference Committee on Appropriations or which
affects the receipt, expenditure or budgeting of state funds or funds under the control of an
entity created by state law.
RULE 5-7. FINAL ACTION. If final action is such as to defeat an amendment, a bill or a
resolution, no other amendment, bill or resolution having the same effect and covering the
same specific or substantially similar subject matter shall be considered by the Senate during
either session of the current Legislature, unless otherwise approved by the President Pro
Tempore. Action constituting “final action” includes:
1. Failure of the motion “Do Pass” or “Do Pass as Amended” on a vote in a committee,
2. If a vote is taken on Third Reading or Fourth Reading and the measure fails to receive
the required number of votes for passage, and
a. no notice is served to reconsider the vote,
b. a motion to reconsider the vote fails to prevail or expires, or
c. a motion to table the motion to reconsider prevails, or
3. In the case of an amendment, if the amendment fails to receive the required number
of votes for adoption or if a motion to table prevails.
RULE 5-8. FINANCIAL IMPACT VERIFICATION. A. No amendment, bill or
resolution which creates or expands a requirement for insurance coverage provided to state
employees by a state agency shall be considered by the Senate or any committee thereof
unless such amendment, bill or resolution is accompanied by documentation of the fiscal
impact of the proposal on the policyholders and the state agency. The President Pro
Tempore shall prescribe procedures for such documentation to be obtained from the
Oklahoma State and Education Employees Group Insurance Board or the Oklahoma Health
Care Authority, as applicable.
The chair of a committee to which a bill or resolution subject to the provisions of this
subsection is assigned may request the Majority Floor Leader to suspend the provisions of
paragraph 4 or 6 of subsection A or paragraph 4 or 6 of subsection B of Rule 16-1; provided,
any such suspension shall not suspend or affect any of the remaining dates set forth in Rule
16-1.
B. No amendment, bill or resolution which creates a direct fiscal impact on state tax
revenues shall be considered by the Senate or any committee thereof unless such
amendment, bill or resolution is accompanied by documentation of the fiscal impact of such
amendment, bill or resolution. The President Pro Tempore shall prescribe procedures for
such documentation to be obtained from the Oklahoma Tax Commission pursuant to the
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provisions of Section 118 of Title 68 of the Oklahoma Statutes, or from another source as
designated by the President Pro Tempore.
CHAPTER 6
PROPOSALS
RULE 6-1. PROPOSALS. Any member of the Senate may submit in writing to the
President Pro Tempore a proposal for study or consideration by the Senate, subject to such
deadlines for interim studies as may be established by the President Pro Tempore.
CHAPTER 7
COMMITTEES
RULE 7-1. TYPES AND NUMBER. There shall be two types of Senate committees
established by the President Pro Tempore, to-wit: standing committees and select
committees. The President Pro Tempore shall appoint the chair and vice-chair of each
standing committee and of each select committee.
The President Pro Tempore may establish, and appoint the members of, as many ad
hoc subcommittees of each standing committee as the President Pro Tempore deems
appropriate. There shall be as many select committees as are created by the President Pro
Tempore.
RULE 7-2. MEMBERSHIP. Membership on standing committees and on select
committees shall be subject to the following:
A. The President Pro Tempore shall appoint, subject to the approval of the Senate,
the Majority Caucus members and the chair and vice-chair of each standing committee.
B. The Minority Floor Leader shall appoint, subject to the approval of the Senate,
the Minority Caucus members of each standing committee, other than a Minority Caucus
member who is appointed as a chair or vice-chair of a committee by the President Pro
Tempore.
C. Membership of standing committees shall be approved by a majority vote of
members of the Senate. In the event of a vacancy or extended absence of a member of the
Senate, a replacement member may be appointed by the President Pro Tempore or the
Minority Floor Leader, as appropriate. Any such appointment shall be approved by a
majority vote of members of the Senate.
D. The President Pro Tempore shall appoint all members of select committees.
E. The President Pro Tempore and Majority Floor Leader shall each be ex officio
and voting members of all standing and select Senate committees.
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RULE 7-3. DUTIES OF THE RULES COMMITTEE. The Rules Committee shall
determine any policies of the Senate submitted to it by the President Pro Tempore.
RULE 7-4. DUTIES OF LEGISLATION COMMITTEES. Each legislative committee
shall be responsible for the formulation of legislative programs and determination of
nonlegislative matters within the jurisdiction prescribed by the President Pro Tempore; shall
inquire into the administration and execution of all laws within the same jurisdiction; shall
consider such proposals as may be submitted to the committee by the President Pro
Tempore; and shall be responsible for the continuing codification of all laws within the
prescribed jurisdiction.
RULE 7-5. DUTIES OF SELECT COMMITTEES. Select committees shall be
responsible for such duties as are prescribed at the time of their formation. No select
committee shall be formed without its duties being expressly stated at the time of its
formation. If a select committee is appointed for the purpose of conducting an investigation,
the Senator requesting the investigation shall not serve as chair of the committee.
RULE 7-6. AUTHORITY OF COMMITTEES. Any Senate committee is authorized to
issue process, compel attendance of witnesses, and to administer oaths to any person
appearing before the committee. Any Senate committee which considers legislation is
empowered to consolidate bills or resolutions, to develop committee substitutes for such
bills or resolutions, to amend such bills or resolutions and to develop a committee bill or
resolution irrespective of any other legislation.
RULE 7-7. PROCEDURES. The following procedures shall be observed by all legislation
committees of the Senate:
A. Subject to such exceptions as are provided hereinafter, committees of the Senate
shall comply with provisions of the Oklahoma Open Meeting Act. A copy of all notices
required by said Act shall be provided to the Chief of Staff, who shall designate the
appropriate place for such notices to be posted. The Chief of Staff shall cause to be posted
one such notice on the bulletin board of the Senate located in a place in the Capitol
accessible to the public and on the Senate web site and shall take such other actions as may
be deemed appropriate to provide adequate notice to the public.
B. The chair of a committee shall schedule meetings of the committee. Meetings at
a time other than the regularly scheduled meeting time of a committee shall not conflict with
any regularly scheduled meeting of any other committee, except with the consent of the
President Pro Tempore.
C. The agenda for any meeting of a committee shall be set by the chair and shall
include the date, time and place of the meeting. A copy of the agenda shall be provided to
members of the committee and to authors of legislation to be considered by the committee at
least twenty-four (24) hours prior to the meeting unless otherwise approved by the President
Pro Tempore. An agenda for a meeting scheduled to meet prior to or during the first three
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days of session may reflect a measure for which assignment to the committee is anticipated,
and the committee may act upon the measure; provided, the report of the committee's action
on any such measure shall not be filed prior to the assignment of the measure; further
provided, if the measure is not assigned to the committee during the first three days of
session, any committee action on the measure taken prior to or during those days shall be of
no force or effect and shall not be reported.
D. A quorum shall be present when any committee votes on any matter. Any
member of a committee may request a quorum call at any time the committee is meeting. A
number equal to a majority of the appointed members of the committee shall constitute a
quorum.
E. The chair, or in the chair's absence the vice-chair, of the committee, or a
designee, shall preside at meetings of the committee.
F. When considering legislation or conducting other business, committees shall
observe the following procedures:
1. No person shall address the committee unless first recognized by the chair for that
purpose.
2. When a legislative measure is taken up for consideration, the Senate author shall
be recognized for explanation of the measure.
3. The Senate author shall be given the opportunity to answer questions put by
members of the committee or other persons recognized by the chair.
4. The chair shall provide opportunity for presentation of amendments to the
legislation by the Senate author or by any member of the committee. Any amendment must
be seconded to receive further consideration. Provided, the Senate author or any member of
the committee offering a committee substitute must submit the proposed committee
substitute in writing or electronically to the chair no later than noon on the legislative day
before the meeting of the committee. The chair may, at his or her discretion, waive the
deadline set forth in this rule. When a committee substitute is submitted, the chair may
approve the substitute to be heard by the committee and the committee substitute shall be
considered a public record from the time of such approval.
5. Amendments and motions may be adopted by a voice vote; provided, however,
that the Senate author, or any member of the committee, may require a roll call vote.
6. Amendments shall be considered in the order they appear in the legislation, or in
the order they are presented to the clerk of the committee; provided, an amendment to
restore the title or enacting clause shall be considered after disposition of all other
amendments. The chair shall resolve any conflict resulting from claimed priority of
presentation.
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7. The author of an amendment shall explain the amendment and be afforded the
opportunity to answer questions about the amendment put by members of the committee, the
author of the legislation, or other persons recognized by the chair.
8. The chair may recognize any person for debate or comment on the proposed
legislation or amendments thereto. The chair may limit the amount of time for any such
debate or comment.
9. The vote on a recommendation by the committee to the Senate concerning a
legislative measure shall be by recorded roll call and shall require a majority vote of a
quorum of the members of the committee for passage. The only permitted recommendations
to the Senate on a legislative measure are “DO PASS” or “DO PASS, AS AMENDED”. A
tie vote in a committee on the motion of “DO PASS” or “DO PASS, AS AMENDED” shall
result in failure of the motion. All committee votes reflecting the votes of each member
present and voting on the motion of “DO PASS” or “DO PASS, AS AMENDED” shall be
entered in the Journal.
G. Except for legislation containing appropriations, all legislation originating in the
Senate which is recommended by a committee to the Senate shall contain an Enacting or
Resolving Clause and both a Senate and a House author.
H. The chair may assign to any subcommittee any legislation, proposal or inquiry;
provided, however, no subcommittee shall be permitted to report directly to the Senate, but
rather shall report to the parent committee.
I. No person shall cause materials to be distributed at any committee meeting
without first having obtained approval of the chair. The person causing the materials to be
distributed shall be identified in writing on the face of such materials. Any document or
other material distributed to all members of a committee of the Senate during a meeting
which is open to the public shall be considered a public record from the time of such
distribution.
J. 1. An amendment affecting a retirement system, as such term is defined in the
Oklahoma Pension Legislation Actuarial Analysis Act, to a bill or resolution which has not
been submitted to the legislative actuary as provided in the Act, shall be deemed to be out of
order. If such a committee amendment is deemed to be out of order after its adoption, the
committee or the full Senate may amend the bill or resolution to its form prior to the
amendment. If such amendment is not made, the bill or resolution shall be returned to the
committee from which it was reported.
2. An amendment which creates or expands a requirement for insurance coverage
provided to state employees by a state agency which is not accompanied by written
documentation of the fiscal impact thereof as required in subsection A of Rule 5-8, shall be
deemed to be out of order. If such a committee amendment is deemed to be out of order
after its adoption, the committee or the full Senate may amend the bill or resolution to its
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form prior to the amendment. If such amendment is not made, the bill or resolution shall be
returned to the committee from which it was reported.
3. An amendment which creates a direct fiscal impact on state tax revenues which is
not accompanied by written documentation of the fiscal impact thereof as required in
subsection B of Rule 5-8, shall be deemed to be out of order. If such a committee
amendment is deemed to be out of order after its adoption, the committee or the full Senate
may amend the bill or resolution to its form prior to the amendment. If such amendment is
not made, the bill or resolution shall be returned to the committee from which it was
reported.
CHAPTER 8
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
RULE 8-1. COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE. Without prior notice, the Senate may, by
motion approved by a majority of the members of the Senate, declare itself a Committee of
the Whole, at which time the President Pro Tempore or a member designated by the
President Pro Tempore shall chair the Committee of the Whole. Rules applicable to other
Senate committees shall be applied to the Committee of the Whole, except those rules
relating to notice.
RULE 8-2. REPORTS. Once the Committee of the Whole has reported a bill or resolution
“DO PASS“ or “DO PASS, AS AMENDED“, to the Senate, that bill or resolution shall be
considered on Third Reading and shall be voted upon without consideration of amendments
or debate.
CHAPTER 9
EXECUTIVE NOMINATIONS
RULE 9-1. REFERRAL OF EXECUTIVE NOMINATIONS. When Executive
Nominations shall be made by the Governor or other appointing authority to the Senate, said
nominations shall be referred for consideration to the standing committee which has in its
jurisdiction the entity to which the nomination relates.
RULE 9-2. REJECTION. No person whose nomination has been rejected by the Senate
shall be eligible to be later confirmed by the Senate during the same session for appointment
to the same position. If an executive nomination is not approved during the regular session
in which it is submitted, it shall be deemed rejected. If an interim executive nomination is
not approved during the first regular session following its submission it shall be deemed
rejected. The President Pro Tempore shall notify the appointing authority of the rejection
of an executive nomination by the Senate, and shall likewise notify the chief executive of
the entity to which the nomination relates.
CHAPTER 10
PROCEDURES FOR DAILY SESSIONS
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RULE 10-1. TIME AND PLACE OF DAILY SESSIONS.
A. On the first Tuesday following the first Monday in January of each odd
numbered year, the Senate shall convene in its chamber on the fourth floor of the Capitol at
twelve o'clock noon for the purposes only of performing the duties as required by Section 5
of Article VI of the Constitution and organizing pursuant to the provisions of Article V of
the Constitution and shall recess not later than five o'clock p.m. of that same day until the
following first Monday in February of the same year, beginning at twelve o'clock noon.
B. On the first Monday in February of each year, the Senate shall convene in its
chamber on the fourth floor of the Capitol at twelve o'clock noon. Thereafter, the Senate
shall meet in daily sessions as necessary in the chamber until sine die adjournment. The
time of each daily session shall be announced on the preceding legislative day; provided,
however, that in the event no such announcement is made, the Senate shall convene at 1:30
p.m.
C. The Senate may convene in a location other than its chamber in the event that the
President Pro Tempore determines that a natural disaster or national security emergency
prevents the Senate from meeting in its chamber.
RULE 10-2. GALLERIES AND HALLWAYS. The President Pro Tempore or a
designee is empowered to assign seats in the galleries of the Senate and is empowered to
order the galleries and hallways of the Senate cleared to preserve order or to ensure the
safety of the members of the Senate. Firearms and weapons are not allowed on the Senate
floor, in the gallery, or in the Senate area without permission of the Chief of Staff. Conduct
in the galleries of the Senate shall conform to the following:
1. No food, drink, signs, placards, noisemakers, flash cameras or any other item
which might cause distraction or disturb the decorum of the Senate shall be allowed in the
galleries;
2. Applause shall not be permitted;
3. Articles carried by visitors may be required to be checked at the door to the
galleries by a Senate employee; and
4. Visitors in the galleries shall be required to conduct themselves with dignity
and in an orderly fashion.
RULE 10-3. ATTENDANCE. No business of the Senate shall be conducted without a
quorum of its members being in attendance, other than a motion to adjourn, adjourn to a
time certain, or operate under call of the Senate pursuant to Rule 10-5, made by the
President Pro Tempore or a member designated by the President Pro Tempore. A majority
of the members elected to the Senate shall constitute a quorum. A member of the Senate
who is absent from a daily session shall be shown as "excused."
RULE 10-4. QUORUM CALL. Any member of the Senate may, at any time, request the
Presiding Officer to question the presence of a quorum. Upon such request, the Presiding
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Officer shall determine whether a quorum is present, and no further business shall be
conducted until it is determined that a quorum is present.
RULE 10-5. CALL OF THE SENATE. The Senate may, by majority vote of the
members present, operate under Call of the Senate, in which case the President Pro Tempore
is empowered to compel the attendance of all members of the Senate and is empowered to
confine the members of the Senate to the chamber.
RULE 10-6. DECORUM. The decorum of members of the Senate and employees of the
Senate during the daily sessions of the Senate shall be determined by the Code of Conduct
and Standards for Members of the Senate and Staff and shall be enforced by the Presiding
Officer.
RULE 10-7. PERSONAL PRIVILEGE. Personal privilege shall be granted to a member
of the Senate only to permit such member to respond to a public attack on the rights,
integrity or reputation of a member of the Senate, or upon the Senate collectively or any
committee or employee of the Senate. Remarks made by a member of the Senate who is
granted personal privilege shall be confined to such a response.
RULE 10-8. INTRODUCTIONS. No persons shall be introduced individually in the
galleries, except that a member of the Senate may introduce family members. It shall also
be permissible to introduce officials from other states and countries or other persons
approved in advance by the Majority Floor Leader.
RULE 10-9. PRIVILEGES OF THE FLOOR. No person shall be permitted in the
Senate chamber or the lobbies at the front or rear of the chamber during the daily sessions of
the Senate except members and former members of the Senate, employees of the Senate
designated by the President Pro Tempore, members of the House of Representatives, the
Governor and Lieutenant Governor, former Governors and former Lieutenant Governors,
spouses, children and grandchildren of members of the Senate, and any person who is
permitted on the floor by a majority vote of those present; provided, however, that the above
privileges shall exclude any person registered as a lobbyist under the statutes of Oklahoma.
All persons permitted in the Senate chamber during the daily sessions of the Senate shall
conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions of the Code of Conduct for Members
of the Senate and Staff. No person other than those specified in this rule shall be permitted
in the Senate Lounge, unless accompanied by a member of the Senate.
RULE 10-10. SENATE LOUNGE AND ANTEROOMS. The President Pro Tempore
may prescribe policies restricting the use of the Senate lounge and any rooms adjoining the
lounge or the Senate chamber.
CHAPTER 11
ORDER OF BUSINESS FOR DAILY SESSIONS
Page 14
RULE 11-1. ORDER OF BUSINESS. The Order of Business for each daily session of the
Senate shall be:
Prayer
Executive Nominations
General Order
Third Reading
House Amendments to Senate Bills and Resolutions
Conference Committee Reports
Fourth Reading
Committee Reports
Second Reading
First Reading
Communications
Other Business
Provided, no business shall be considered by the Senate during the daily session unless it has
been approved by the Majority Floor Leader or the President Pro Tempore or unless it is
otherwise specifically allowed under the Senate rules.
CHAPTER 12
FLOOR PROCEDURES
RULE 12-1. PRESIDING OFFICER'S AUTHORITY. The Presiding Officer shall
maintain order in the Senate. No Senator or other person shall be permitted to address the
Senate without first having been recognized by the Presiding Officer. The Presiding Officer
may require a Senator to disclose the purpose of a request for recognition prior to acting
upon such request. The Presiding Officer shall immediately recognize the Majority Floor
Leader at his or her request notwithstanding the previous request of any other Senator, but
otherwise may exercise discretion in granting recognition when more than one Senator seeks
recognition.
Page 15
RULE 12-2. ORDER OF CONSIDERATION OF LEGISLATION. The Majority Floor
Leader, or a designee, shall determine the order in which legislation is considered by the
Senate.
RULE 12-3. PLACEMENT OF MEASURES ON GENERAL ORDER.
A. All bills and resolutions reported by a committee of the Senate or referred
directly to the calendar shall be placed on General Order.
B. When a committee report is filed, the clerk shall indicate on the face of the report
the date and time the report was filed.
C. A bill or resolution reported from committee shall be placed on General Order at
the beginning of the legislative day following the legislative day that a committee report is
filed. Committee reports shall not be filed later than 4:30 p.m.
D. Bills and resolutions referred directly to the calendar shall be placed on General
Order at the beginning of the legislative day following the day of such referral.
E. A list of bills and resolutions on General Order, including a copy of the text of
such bills and resolutions and the date such bills and resolutions were placed on General
Order, shall be published electronically and a paper copy shall be made available each
legislative day by request to all members of the Senate.
RULE 12-4. AMENDMENTS. A. Amendments to bills or resolutions shall be in writing
and shall be considered only if submitted as follows:
1. Once legislation has been placed on General Order as provided in Rule 12-3, any
floor amendment to such legislation may be filed on the legislative day of such placement or
the following legislative day. An amendment must be filed no later than 4:30 p.m. of a
legislative day to be considered filed on such legislative day;
2. Any amendment which directly amends a previously-submitted floor amendment
shall be filed no later than 4:30 p.m. of the legislative day following the day which is the last
legislative day for filing a floor amendment as provided in paragraph 1 of this rule; and
3. A floor amendment or an amendment to a floor amendment may be withdrawn by
its author at any time before it is voted upon.
B. If any amendment to a bill or resolution is filed as provided in this subsection, a
copy of the text of such amendment shall be provided or made available electronically to
each member of the Senate and the bill or resolution shall not be voted upon until on or after
the legislative day following the legislative day specified for filing an amendment to a floor
amendment as provided in paragraph 2 of this rule.
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C. This rule shall not apply to an amendment offered by the author of a bill or
resolution:
1. To strike the title or enacting or resolving clause; or
2. To make non-substantive changes or technical corrections, subject to the approval
of the Majority Floor Leader.
D. 1. An amendment affecting a retirement system, as such term is defined in the
Oklahoma Pension Legislation Actuarial Analysis Act, to a bill or resolution which has not
been submitted to the legislative actuary as provided in the Act, shall be deemed to be out of
order.
2. An amendment which creates or expands a requirement for insurance coverage
provided to state employees by a state agency which is not accompanied by written
documentation of the fiscal impact thereof as required in subsection A of Rule 5-8, shall be
deemed to be out of order.
3. An amendment which creates a direct fiscal impact on state tax revenues which is
not accompanied by written documentation of the fiscal impact thereof as required in
subsection B of Rule 5-8, shall be deemed to be out of order.
RULE 12-5. CONSIDERATION OF MEASURES ON GENERAL ORDER.
A. On General Order, the following procedure shall be observed:
1. Explanation of the bill or resolution by the Senate author;
2. Questions;
3. Consideration of amendments; and
4. Advancement.
B. Amendments shall be considered in the order in which they are submitted unless
otherwise directed by the Majority Floor Leader; provided, an amendment to restore a title
or enacting or resolving clause shall be considered after disposition of all other amendments.
Once an amendment is read, it shall be explained by its author, who shall then answer
questions concerning the amendment. If the author of the amendment is not in attendance at
the time an amendment is read, the amendment shall be considered withdrawn unless
another member of the Senate has taken or immediately takes coauthorship of the
amendment and provides an explanation. An amendment shall be considered a public record
from the time it is placed upon the clerk’s desk.
C. After the final vote on third reading of any bill or joint resolution, no amendment
to the measure shall be considered, by unanimous consent or otherwise, unless the final vote
and advancement of the measure are properly reconsidered according to the Senate Rules.
Page 17
D. For any bill which has been recommended to the full Senate by a Senate
committee with a stricken title or enacting clause, the title or enacting clause shall not be
restored as part of an amendment proposing a floor substitute, but an amendment to restore
the title or enacting clause may be considered separately.
RULE 12-6. ADVANCEMENT. Once a motion to advance has been adopted, the bill or
resolution shall be considered engrossed and on Third Reading.
RULE 12-7. THIRD READING. Upon Third Reading of a bill or resolution, the Senate
shall not consider amendments, but shall debate passage of the bill or resolution and then
vote upon passage.
RULE 12-8. HOUSE AMENDMENTS. Upon receipt of House amendments to Senate
bills or resolutions, the Senate author shall make a motion either to accept the amendments,
in which case a successful vote on the motion shall automatically advance the bill to Fourth
Reading and final passage, or to reject the amendments and request a conference with the
House.
RULE 12-9. CONFERENCE COMMITTEES. The President Pro Tempore shall appoint
members of the Senate to serve on conference committees with members of the House of
Representatives at such times and in such numbers as the President Pro Tempore deems
appropriate.
RULE 12-10. CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REPORTS.
A. Any Conference Committee Report shall be considered by the Senate only when
a majority of the Senate conferees and a majority of the House conferees have signed the
report and only when the report is limited to matters germane to the bill or resolution.
Provided:
1. An amendment affecting a retirement system as such term is defined in the
Oklahoma Pension Legislation Actuarial Analysis Act to a bill or resolution reported from a
conference committee which has not been submitted to the legislative actuary as provided in
the Act shall be deemed to be out of order and the bill or resolution shall be returned to the
conference committee from which it was reported with instructions to remove the
amendment;
2. An amendment which creates or expands a requirement for insurance coverage
provided to state employees by a state agency to a bill or resolution reported from a
conference committee which is not accompanied by written documentation of the fiscal
impact thereof, as required in subsection A of Rule 5-8, shall be deemed to be out of order
and the bill or resolution shall be returned to the conference committee from which it was
reported with instructions to remove the amendment; and
3. An amendment which creates a direct fiscal impact on state tax revenues to a bill
or resolution reported from a conference committee which is not accompanied by written
documentation of the fiscal impact thereof, as required in subsection B of Rule 5-8, shall be
Page 18
deemed to be out of order and the bill or resolution shall be returned to the conference
committee from which it was reported with instructions to remove the amendment.
If the Senate adopts a Conference Committee Report, the bill or resolution is before
the Senate for Fourth Reading and final passage. If the Senate rejects a Conference
Committee Report or a motion to adopt the report fails, the bill or resolution shall be
returned to the conference committee. Upon a report by the Senate conferees that the
conferees cannot agree, the bill or resolution reverts to its former status of consideration of
House Amendments to Senate bills or resolutions.
B. The committee report proposed by the Senate author of a measure considered by
the General Conference Committee on Appropriations may not be amended during the
committee meeting at which the measure is considered.
RULE 12-11. FOURTH READING. Upon Fourth Reading of a bill or resolution, debate
shall be in order on final passage of the bill or resolution, after which the vote shall occur on
final passage. After final passage of a bill or resolution, it shall be signed by the Presiding
Officer in open session.
RULE 12-12. COMMITTEE REPORTS ON EXECUTIVE NOMINATIONS.
Committee reports on Executive Nominations may be combined by the Majority Floor
Leader for consideration by the Senate. At the request of any member, however, a nominee
shall be separated from the combined report and considered individually by the Senate. A
majority vote of the members of the Senate shall be required for adoption of a combined
report.
RULE 12-13. OTHER COMMITTEE REPORTS. Committee reports on matters other
than legislation or Executive Nominations shall be filed with the Secretary of the Senate and
explained by the chair of the committee making the report, whereupon the Senate may
consider any action called for in the report.
RULE 12-14. FIRST READING. A bill or resolution shall be considered introduced upon
First Reading and shall automatically be advanced to Second Reading.
RULE 12-15. SECOND READING.
A. The Second Reading of a bill or resolution shall occur the next legislative day
following the First Reading. Upon or after Second Reading of a bill or resolution, the same
shall be assigned for committee consideration or assigned directly to the calendar. All bills
carrying appropriations which are referred to any committee other than the Appropriations
Committee shall, immediately upon a report by the committee to which referred, be referred
to the Appropriations Committee. Any bill or resolution which is determined to affect the
receipt, expenditure or budgeting of state funds or funds under the control of an entity
created by state law may be double-assigned to a committee other than the Appropriations
Page 19
Committee or the Finance Committee and then to the Appropriations Committee or Finance
Committee.
B. All “shell bills”, except for appropriation bills as defined in Rule 5-6, and except
for a bill which is exempt from Senate Rule 16-1, shall be assigned to the Rules Committee.
For purposes of this rule a “shell bill” shall mean a measure which does not make a
substantive change in the law.
C. After preparation of a committee substitute which proposes a substantive change
in the law, a shell bill which has been assigned to the Rules Committee may be withdrawn
from the Rules Committee and assigned to another committee. No shell bill, except for
appropriation bills as defined in Rule 5-6, and except for a bill which is exempt from Senate
Rule 16-1, shall be reported out of a committee until it has been amended to include a
substantive change in the law.
RULE 12-16. DEBATE. When a question subject to debate is before the Senate, a motion
to limit the time for debate shall be in order, even if debate already has begun. The motion
shall fix the time limits to be allowed for and against the motion, provided that in no case
shall the total debate allotted to each side be less than one-half hour. If such motion is
successful, the Presiding Officer shall cause the time limits to be enforced and shall divide
the time equally for each side of the question. If the motion is once rejected on a question
being debated, it can only be adopted with the approval of two-thirds of those voting.
RULE 12-17. ADJOURNMENT. A motion to adjourn shall always be in order except
when the motion shall have been the last voted on and no business is transacted thereafter.
RULE 12-18. AFTER ADOPTION OF MOTION TO ADJOURN. Once a motion to
adjourn when the desk is clear has been adopted, no motion shall be considered from the
floor of the Senate, whether by unanimous consent or otherwise.
RULE 12-19. SINE DIE ADJOURNMENT. The date and time of sine die adjournment
of the Senate shall be fixed by motion or resolution; provided, that once the date and time of
such sine die adjournment has arrived, no further business shall be conducted by the Senate,
and the Presiding Officer shall declare the Senate adjourned sine die.
RULE 12-20. WITHDRAWAL FROM COMMITTEE. Any bill or resolution may be
withdrawn from any committee of the Senate upon a two-thirds vote of the members of the
Senate. Any bill or resolution so withdrawn shall be on General Order. The provisions of
this rule shall not prevent a bill or resolution from being reassigned from one committee to
another, from being assigned directly to the calendar, or from being double-assigned as
provided in subsection A of Rule 12-15.
RULE 12-21. RECONSIDERATION. The final vote on Third Reading or Fourth
Reading of any bill or joint resolution or on the emergency clause or special election feature
Page 20
or other special feature of any bill or joint resolution may be reconsidered only if a member
of the Senate serves notice before any other business is considered by the Senate . Once
such notice is served, the following procedures shall be observed:
A. In anticipation of the closing days of a regular session or a deadline for third
reading and final passage of a measure in the Senate, a majority of the members of the
Senate may vote that all motions to reconsider made thereafter shall be disposed of on the
same day such notice is served, or disposed of immediately on the last Friday in May, or an
earlier day set for sine die adjournment pursuant to the provisions of Rule 12-19.
B. Except as heretofore provided, the member serving notice for reconsideration
shall not be permitted to make the motion to reconsider on the day notice is served, but shall
have the exclusive right to make such a motion on the next two succeeding legislative days;
provided, that on the third succeeding legislative day, any member of the Senate shall have
the right to make such a motion. If no such motion is made on the third succeeding
legislative day, then no reconsideration shall be permitted.
C. If the Senate refuses to reconsider or if, upon reconsideration, affirms the first
decision, no further consideration shall be in order.
D. For adoption, a motion to reconsider the final vote on a bill or resolution or on
the emergency clause or special election feature or other special feature must be approved
by a majority of the members of the Senate.
E. A motion to reconsider any other action by the Senate must be made by a Senator
who voted on the prevailing side before any other business is considered by the Senate and
shall be disposed of on the same day it is lodged. The motion to reconsider shall be decided
by a majority of those voting on the question.
F. It shall not be in order for the Senate, by suspension of the Rules or by any other
means, to reconsider in the Second Regular Session of a Legislature the vote by which any
bill or joint resolution was defeated in the First Regular Session.
RULE 12-22. OVERRIDES OF VETOES. When a bill or resolution is returned to the
Senate because of veto by the Governor, a motion to vote to override the veto shall be in
order at any time.
RULE 12-23. CORRECTIONS TO LEGISLATION.
A. The Title of a bill or resolution shall be made to conform to the text, unless the
same has been ordered stricken. A stricken title shall be shown in brackets. The ballot title
of a bill or resolution proposing a state question shall be made to conform to the text. The
Enacting Clause shall be a part of every bill unless the same shall have been ordered
stricken. A stricken Enacting Clause shall be shown by striking through the words of the
Enacting Clause.
Page 21
B. The Senate Service Staff is authorized to correct misspelled words, incorrect
citations, typographical errors, repeated words and other similar errors when engrossing or
enrolling Senate bills or joint resolutions, or Senate amendments to engrossed House bills or
joint resolutions and when preparing committee reports and floor versions of Senate bills or
joint resolutions.
C. When engrossing or enrolling Senate bills or joint resolutions, or Senate
amendments to engrossed House bills or joint resolutions and when preparing committee
reports and floor versions of Senate bills or joint resolutions, the Senate Service Staff is
authorized to:
1. Remove sections from a bill or joint resolution labeled as amendatory sections but
which consist entirely of existing law and contain no amendments to the existing law;
2. Incorporate amendments to sections of law in the bill or joint resolution which are
contained in measures enacted previously during the same legislative session and amending
the same sections of law and repeal such previous versions of the section at issue if, in the
opinion of the General Counsel, or a staff attorney designated by the
Chief of Staff, the incorporation of such amendments and repeal of the previous version
would clearly not conflict with the amendments contained in the measure at issue;
3. Modify sections of such measures which provide for a measure to become
effective on July 1 or a date earlier than ninety days after the date of expected sine die
adjournment to read to reflect an effective date of ninety days after the date of sine die
adjournment, or to delete such sections, if the emergency clause has failed to receive the
required number of votes for passage;
4. Delete sections of such measures which provide for a measure to become
effective on a date prior to such engrossment or enrollment; and
5. Include a designation of the subject of an act as provided in Section 452.9 of Title
74 of the Oklahoma Statutes.
D. The Secretary of the Senate shall, at the direction of the President Pro Tempore
and with the approval of the Senate author, have the authority to correct nonsubstantive
errors in the language of any bill or resolution at the time the same is engrossed or enrolled.
A detailed record of all such corrections shall be maintained by the Secretary and printed in
the Journal.
CHAPTER 13
MOTIONS
RULE 13-1. ORDER OF PRIORITY. Motions shall be considered in the following order
of priority:
A. To adjourn to a time certain.
B. To adjourn.
Page 22
C. Substitute ruling motion.
D. To recess.
E. To operate under Call of the Senate.
F. To limit debate.
G. To advance a measure or adopt a Conference Committee Report.
H. To suspend the rules.
I. To commit to a committee or conference committee without instructions.
J. To commit to a committee or conference committee with instructions.
K. To amend.
RULE 13-2. DEBATE. Debate shall be in order on all motions, except the following:
A. To adjourn to a time certain.
B. To adjourn.
C. To recess.
D. To operate under Call of the Senate.
E. To limit debate.
F. To advance.
G. To commit to a committee without instructions.
H. To table.
I. To suspend the rules.
RULE 13-3. MOTIONS TO TABLE. Motions to table shall be in order for all motions
except the following:
A. To adjourn to a time certain.
B. To adjourn.
Page 23
C. To recess.
D. To operate under Call of the Senate.
E. To limit debate.
F. To advance.
RULE 13-4. PRECEDENCE. Motions to table shall take precedence over the original
motion. If successful, a motion to table shall constitute a final disposition of the original
motion.
RULE 13-5. PRIORITY OF MOTIONS NOT ENUMERATED. Except for those
motions otherwise enumerated by priority, all motions shall have equal priority and shall be
considered in the order made, or in the order placed on the clerk's desk.
RULE 13-6. WRITTEN MOTIONS OR OTHER ITEMS OF BUSINESS. The
Presiding Officer may require any motion, point of order, substitute ruling, or other item of
business to be in writing and placed upon the clerk's desk.
RULE 13-7. SUBSTITUTE MOTIONS. Only one substitute motion for a motion of equal
priority shall be considered. If the substitute motion fails, the original motion shall be
disposed of before another motion of the same priority can be considered.
RULE 13-8. VOTE REQUIRED. Unless otherwise provided, a motion shall be declared
adopted if it is approved by a majority of the members present and voting thereon.
CHAPTER 14
VOTING
RULE 14-1. MANNER OF VOTING. All votes of the Senate shall be by voice vote,
division or roll call vote subject to the following:
A. The voting machine shall be used to record the vote whenever a roll call vote is
taken on any question. The machine shall also be used to determine the presence or absence
of a quorum. In the event the machine is not operating properly, all roll call votes and
determinations of quorums may be taken by calling the roll. The voting machine shall be
under the control of the Presiding Officer and shall be operated by a clerk designated by the
Presiding Officer.
B. During any roll call, every Senator present shall vote. During a roll call, the
Presiding Officer shall request every Senator in the chamber who has not voted to vote. If
any Senator so requested fails to vote, the Presiding Officer shall, upon declaring the roll,
order that said Senator be shown as voting "NO" on the question. Said order shall be printed
in the Journal directly following the printing of the results of the roll call as reflected by the
Page 24
voting machine, and said "NO" vote shall be included in the determination of the passage or
failure of the question. In all other cases, a Senator who fails to vote shall be shown as
"excused" in the Journal.
C. On any question for which a roll call vote is not required, a roll call vote shall be
in order only if requested before the question is put. Once the question has been put and a
voice vote taken, the Presiding Officer shall state the side that appears to the Presiding
Officer to have prevailed, and any member then may request a division, but shall not be
entitled to request a roll call vote. The declaration of the vote by the Presiding Officer shall
be final.
D. No Senator shall be permitted to vote or change a vote after the result has been
announced by the Presiding Officer.
E. If a member's voting machine is inoperative, the member shall rise and advise the
Presiding Officer of the malfunction; and the Senator will be permitted to verbally vote on
the question; and the vote will then be recorded by the clerk.
F. When a division is called for, those voting in the affirmative shall rise at their
seats and remain standing until counted; then those voting in the negative shall rise and
stand until they are counted, whereupon the Presiding Officer shall declare the result.
CHAPTER 15
LOBBYISTS AND MEDIA REPRESENTATIVES
RULE 15-1. LOBBYISTS. All lobbying activities in the Senate shall be governed and
regulated by law and by the Rules of the Senate.
RULE 15-2. MEDIA REPRESENTATIVES. The Chief of Staff, at the direction of the
President Pro Tempore, may issue credentials to representatives of the news media and may
limit access to the Press Gallery to those members of the news media holding such
credentials.
CHAPTER 16
RULE 16-1. SENATE LEGISLATIVE PROCEDURE SCHEDULE.
A. During the First Regular Session of the 53rd Oklahoma Legislature, the Senate
shall adhere to the following legislative procedure schedule:
1. The First Regular Session of the 53rd Oklahoma Legislature shall convene at twelve
noon on January 4, 2011, for the purpose only of performing the duties set forth in Section 5 of
Article VI of the Constitution and organizing pursuant to the provisions of Article V of the
Constitution, and shall recess no later than five p.m. on that same day until February 7, 2011,
beginning at twelve noon.
Page 25
2. December 10, 2010, shall be the final date for requesting the drafting of bills or
joint resolutions in the Senate for introduction for consideration during the First Regular
Session.
3. January 20, 2011, at 4:00 p.m., shall be the final date and time for introduction of
bills and joint resolutions in the Senate for consideration on the floor of the Senate during
the First Regular Session. Bills and joint resolutions subsequently introduced if reported
from committee, shall not be placed on the Calendar for consideration in the Senate until the
first legislative day of the Second Regular Session.
4. February 28, 2011, shall be the final legislative day for reporting Senate bills and
Senate joint resolutions from committee in the Senate; provided, for Senate bills and Senate
joint resolutions double-assigned to a committee other than the Appropriations Committee
or Finance Committee and then to the Appropriations Committee or Finance Committee,
February 21, 2011, shall be the final legislative day for reporting such bills and resolutions
from the first committee to which assigned and March 3, 2011, shall be the final legislative
day for reporting such bills and resolutions from the Appropriations Committee or Finance
Committee. Committee Reports must be properly filed in the Senate within one (1)
legislative day after the dates specified in this paragraph, no later than 4:30 p.m., in order for
the bill or joint resolution to be placed on the calendar for consideration in the Senate during
the First Regular Session. Bills and joint resolutions subsequently reported from committee
shall not be placed on the Calendar for consideration in the Senate until the first legislative
day of the Second Regular Session.
5. March 17, 2011, shall be the final legislative day for third reading and final
passage of a Senate bill or Senate joint resolution in the Senate.
6. April 7, 2011, shall be the final legislative day for reporting House bills and
House joint resolutions from Committee in the Senate; provided, for House bills and House
joint resolutions double-assigned to a committee other than the Appropriations Committee
or Finance Committee and then to the Appropriations Committee or Finance Committee,
March 31, 2011, shall be the final legislative day for reporting such bills and resolutions
from the first committee to which assigned and April 14, 2011, shall be the final legislative
day for reporting such bills and resolutions from the Appropriations Committee or Finance
Committee. Committee Reports must be properly filed in the Senate within one (1)
legislative day after the dates specified in this paragraph, no later than 4:30 p.m., in order for
the bill or joint resolution to be placed on the calendar for consideration in the Senate during
the First Regular Session. Bills and joint resolutions subsequently reported from Committee
shall not be placed on the Calendar for consideration in the Senate until the first legislative
day of the Second Regular Session.
7. April 28, 2011, shall be the final legislative day for third reading and final
passage of a House bill or a House joint resolution in the Senate.
Page 26
8. The First Regular Session shall adjourn sine die not later than five p.m. on May
27, 2011.
9. Upon a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the membership of the Senate, a bill or joint
resolution can be exempt from all cutoff dates in the Senate.
B. During the Second Regular Session of the 53rd Oklahoma Legislature, the Senate
shall adhere to the following legislative procedure schedule:
1. December 9, 2011, shall be the final date for requesting the drafting of bills or
joint resolutions in the Senate for introduction for consideration during the Second Regular
Session.
2. January 19, 2012 at 4:00 p.m., shall be the final date and time for introduction of
bills and joint resolutions in the Senate for consideration on the floor of the Senate during
the Second Regular Session.
3. The Second Regular Session of the 53rd Oklahoma Legislature shall convene at
twelve o'clock noon on February 6, 2012.
4. February 27, 2012, shall be the final legislative day for reporting Senate bills and
Senate joint resolutions from Committee in the Senate; provided, for Senate bills and Senate
joint resolutions double-assigned to a committee other than the Appropriations Committee
or Finance Committee and then to the Appropriations Committee or Finance Committee,
February 20, 2012, shall be the final legislative day for reporting such bills and resolutions
from the first committee to which assigned and March 1, 2012, shall be the final legislative
day for reporting such bills and resolutions from the Appropriations Committee or Finance
Committee. Committee Reports must be properly filed in the Senate within one (1)
legislative day after the dates specified in this paragraph, no later than 4:30 p.m., in order for
the bill or joint resolution to be placed on the calendar for consideration in the Senate during
the First Regular Session.
5. March 15, 2012, shall be the final legislative day for third reading and final
passage of a Senate bill or a Senate joint resolution in the Senate.
6. April 5, 2012, shall be the final legislative day for reporting a House bill or a
House joint resolution from Committee in the Senate; provided, for House bills and House
joint resolutions double-assigned to a committee other than the Appropriations Committee
or Finance Committee and then to the Appropriations Committee or Finance Committee,
March 29, 2012, shall be the final legislative day for reporting such bills and resolutions
from the first committee to which assigned and April 12, 2012, shall be the final legislative
day for reporting such bills and resolutions from the Appropriations Committee or Finance
Committee. Committee Reports must be properly filed in the Senate within one (1)
legislative day after the dates specified in this paragraph, no later than 4:30 p.m., in order for
Page 27
the bill or joint resolution to be placed on the calendar for consideration in the Senate during
the First Regular Session.
7. April 26, 2012, shall be the final legislative day for third reading and final
passage of a House bill or a House joint resolution in the Senate.
8. The Second Regular Session shall adjourn sine die not later than five p.m. on May
25, 2012.
9. Upon a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the membership of the Senate, a bill or joint
resolution can be exempt from all cutoff dates in the Senate.
C. This rule shall be inapplicable to any:
1. Joint resolution introduced for the purpose of disapproving or approving agency
rules pursuant to the provisions of the Administrative Procedures Act as set forth in Section
250 et seq. of Title 75 of the Oklahoma Statutes;
2. Bill introduced for the purposes of incorporation and merging different versions
of a statute amended in more than one measure at the same or different sessions of the
Legislature as set forth in Section 23.1 of Title 75 of the Oklahoma Statutes;
3. Bill or joint resolution introduced for the purpose of approving, disapproving,
repealing or modifying rules of the Ethics Commission pursuant to the provisions of Section
3 of Article XXIX of the Oklahoma Constitution;
4. Bill or joint resolution which proposes a special or local law and for which notice
of intended introduction is published in a newspaper for four consecutive weeks pursuant to
the provisions of Section 32 of Article V of the Oklahoma Constitution;
5. Bill or joint resolution authored by the chairs and vice-chairs of the Senate
Appropriations Committee and the House Appropriations and Budget Committee which
affects the receipt, expenditure or budgeting of state funds or funds under the control of an
entity created by state law;
6. Bill or joint resolution authored by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate and
the Speaker of the House of Representatives which is deemed by them to be necessary for
the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; or
7. Bill or joint resolution authored by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate and
the Speaker of the House of Representatives which provides for redistricting pursuant to the
2010 federal census.
Page 28
D. Paragraph 2 of subsection A and paragraph 2 of subsection B of this rule shall be
inapplicable to any bill or joint resolution which contains an “RB” number pursuant to the
provisions of the Oklahoma Pension Legislation Actuarial Analysis Act. Such measures
shall be submitted to the legislative actuary not later than the date specified in such
paragraphs, and may be introduced not later than the first Monday in February following
such submission.
RULE 16-2. PENDING LEGISLATION AT ADJOURNMENT OF FIRST
REGULAR SESSION
A. Any bill or joint resolution pending in the Senate at the final adjournment of the
First Regular Session of the 53rd Oklahoma Legislature shall carry over to the Second
Regular Session with the same status as if there had been no adjournment. Bills and joint
resolutions pending in a Conference Committee at such time shall not carry over to the
Second Regular Session of the 53rd Oklahoma Legislature.
B. Simple and concurrent resolutions pending in the Senate at the final adjournment
of the First Regular Session of the 53rd Oklahoma Legislature shall not carry over for
consideration during the Second Regular Session.
CODE OF CONDUCT AND STANDARDS
FOR MEMBERS OF THE SENATE AND STAFF
1. A coat, tie and slacks or trousers shall be worn by male members and appropriate
attire shall be worn by female members of the Senate and other persons granted privileges of
the floor in the chamber during sessions of the Senate.
2. Each executive assistant is under the authority and supervision of the Senator
designating him or her as such. All other staff members of the Senate are under the authority
and supervision of the Chief of Staff. Complaints pertaining to employees should be made
to the proper authority rather than to the individual. Under no circumstances should
complaints pertaining to employees be made on the floor of the Senate, in committee
meetings or in other public forums.
3. (a) On the floor during session and in committee, members should endeavor to be
congenial and complimentary. Members should avoid personal attacks and dealing in
personalities.
(b) During public occasions away from the Capitol, members should endeavor to
keep personalities out of their discussions and deal with programs, not personalities.
4. The consumption of alcohol is forbidden in the chamber, and any member who is
in the chamber in an intoxicated state will be removed by security personnel.
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5. It is beneath the dignity of the Senate for members to consume food products in
the chamber.
6. Members of the Senate should continually conduct themselves in accordance with
the standards which will reflect credit upon themselves and the Senate. It is beneath the
dignity of the Senate for a member to sit upon a desk, or to place his or her feet upon a desk
in the chamber.
7. While a Senator is speaking, no Senator should enter into any disturbing private
conversation or pass between the speaking Senator and the Presiding Officer. Profane,
obscene, or indecent language is discouraged in the Senate and in all standing or special
committees of the Senate. The use of cellular telephones, pagers or other audible electronic
devices during formal Senate proceedings, either on the floor of the Senate or in committee,
is discouraged.
8. A Senator shall address other members with the title "Senator" when addressing
one another during formal Senate proceedings either on the floor of the Senate or in
committee.
9. The Presiding Officer may direct a designated Senate employee to activate his or
her roll call switch. No member shall be permitted to vote on any question unless said
member is physically present in the chamber at the time the vote is taken.
10. The President Pro Tempore (or the Majority Floor Leader) shall designate those
Senate employees who shall be granted privileges of the floor during any session of the
Senate, said employees to be limited to those whose work requires their presence. Any
member desiring to bring a guest to the floor of the Senate shall first notify the Majority
Floor Leader. No such guest shall enter the chamber until privileges of the floor have been
granted pursuant to Rule 10-9.
11. No person other than a member of the Senate shall cause materials to be
distributed on each desk in the Senate chamber without first having obtained approval by the
Majority Floor Leader. The sponsoring Senator will be identified. Any material so
distributed shall be considered a public record from the time of such distribution.
12. The President Pro Tempore shall designate persons to act as Sergeants-at-Arms
for the Senate, who shall have responsibility of serving legal processes and enforcing Rules
and policies of the Senate.
13. Any member who feels that the standards of the Senate are being violated by
either a member of the Senate or the staff should seek redress by submitting a complaint to
the President Pro Tempore concerning the violation. The President Pro Tempore may refer
any matter concerning exercise of the Senate's discretionary powers and duties under
Section 30 of Article V of the Oklahoma Constitution to a standing committee or select
committee as the President Pro Tempore deems appropriate.